Map of Bermuda | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995 the present government has reopened debate on the issue.


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Location: North America group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean east of South Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N 64 45 W

Map reference: North America

Area
Total: 53.3 km²
Land: 53.3 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about one-third the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 103 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: subtropical; mild humid; gales strong winds common in winter

Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use
Arable land: 20%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)

Geography
Note: consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995


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Population: 66,163 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 0.576% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 19% (2000)

Nationality
Noun: Bermudian
Adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups: black 54.8% white 34.1% mixed 6.4% other races 4.3% unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)

Languages: English (official) Portuguese

Religions: Anglican 23% Roman Catholic 15% African Methodist Episcopal 11% other Protestant 18% other 12% unaffiliated 6% unspecified 1% none 14% (2000 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 6,094/female 6,014)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,696/female 23,094)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 3,597/female 4,668) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 40.6 years
Male: 39.7 years
Female: 41.4 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.576% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 11.26 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 7.84 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: sustainable development

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.013 male/female
15-64 years: 0.983 male/female
65 years and over: 0.771 male/female
Total population: 0.959 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.08 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.58 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.56 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.13 years
Male: 76 years
Female: 80.29 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.297% (2005)
People living with hivaids: 163 (2005)
Deaths: 392 (2005)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 99% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Bermuda
Former: Somers Islands

Government type: parliamentary; self-governing territory

Capital
Name: Hamilton
Geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire Hamilton Hamilton* Paget Pembroke Saint George* Saint George's Sandys Smith's Southampton Warwick

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Bermuda Day 24 May

Constitution: 8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Legal system: English law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Acting Governor Mark CAPES (since 12 October 2007)
Head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch
Elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2008)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT]

International organization participation: Caricom (associate) Interpol (subbureau) IOC ITUC UPU WCO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
From the us consulates general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5,300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20,520-5,300
From the us telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
From the us fax: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9,233

Flag description: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000 Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.5 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 4.6% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $69,900 (2004 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 10%
Services: 89% (2002 est.)

Agriculture products: bananas vegetables citrus flowers; dairy products honey

Industries: international business tourism light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 38,360 (2004)
By occupation agriculture and fishing: 3%
By occupation laborers: 17%
By occupation clerical: 19%
By occupation professional and technical: 21%
By occupation administrative and managerial: 15%
By occupation sales: 7%
By occupation services: 19% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2004 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 19% (2000)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $738 million
Expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.8% (November 2005)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $2.125 billion (2005)

Current account balance

Exports: $1.469 billion (2004 est.)
Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Partners: Spain 31.6% UK 16.6% Brazil 9.6% Sweden 7.9% (2006)

Imports: $982 million (2004 est.)
Commodities: clothing fuels machinery and transport equipment construction materials chemicals food and live animals
Partners: US 71.8% Venezuela 6.9% Canada 6.6% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $160 million (FY99/00)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)


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Electricity
Production: 618 million kWh (2005)
Consumption: 574.8 million kWh (2005)
Exports: 0 kWh (2005)
Imports: 0 kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2005 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 57,700 (2006)
Mobile cellular: 60,100 (2006)

Telephone system
General assessment: good
Domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber-optic trunk lines
International: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .bm
Hosts: 2,949 (2007)
Users: 42,000 (2005)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 0.11% (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-23 years of age; eligible men required to register for conscription as needed into the Bermuda Regiment which is largely voluntary; term of service 39 months (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2007)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 447 km
Paved: 447 km
Note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2002)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 133 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,366,999 GRT/8,615,385 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 24, container 22, liquefied gas 30, passenger 23, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 4
Foreign owned: 126 (Australia 4, Belgium 3, China 10, France 1, Germany 21, Greece 3, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 1, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Singapore 1, Sweden 15, UK 20, US 23)
Registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Croatia 2, Marshall Islands 5, Philippines 31) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Hamilton Saint George


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs