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. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N 64 45 W

Map reference: North America

Area
Total: 58.8 km²
Land: 58.8 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 103 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: 12 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: 6%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 94% (55% developed, 39% rural/open space) (1997 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)

Geography
Note: consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample rainfall but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land reclaimed and otherwise was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

Population: 63,503 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 0.74% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Bermudian
Adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups: black 58% white 36% other 6%

Languages: English (official) Portuguese

Religions: non-Anglican Protestant 39% Anglican 27% Roman Catholic 15% other 19%

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.4% (male 6,091; female 6,230)
15-64 years: 69.43% (male 21,783; female 22,309)
65 years and over: 11.17% (male 3,073; female 4,017) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.74% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 12.16 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 7.42 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 est.)

Environment
Current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space

Sex ratio
At birth: 0.94 male/female
Under 15 years: 0.98 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.55 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.12 years
Male: 75.04 years
Female: 79.06 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 99% (1970 est.)

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

Government type: parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-government

Capital: Hamilton

Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire Hamilton Hamilton* Paget Pembroke Saint George* Saint Georges Sandys Smiths Southampton Warwick

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Bermuda Day 24 May

Constitution: 8 June 1968 amended 1989

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Thorold MASEFIELD (since NA June 1997)
Head of government: Premier Jennifer SMITH (since 10 November 1998)
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; governor invites leader of largest party in Parliament to form a government as premier

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14

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

Political parties and leaders: National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Pamela GORDON]

International organization participation: Caricom (observer) CCC ICFTU Interpol (subbureau) IOC

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

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

Economy overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world having successfully exploited its location by providing financial services for international firms and luxury tourist facilities for 360,000 visitors annually. The tourist industry which accounts for an estimated 28% of GDP attracts 84% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is small and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs are imported. International business contributes over 60% of Bermuda's economic output; a failed independence vote in late 1995 can be partially attributed to Bermudian fears of scaring away foreign firms. Government economic priorities are the further strengthening of the tourist and international financial sectors.

Real gdp growth rate: 1.5% (2000 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $33,000 (2000 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1%
Industry: 10%
Services: 89% (1995 est.)

Agriculture products: bananas vegetables citrus flowers; dairy products

Industries: tourism finance insurance structural concrete products paints perfumes pharmaceuticals ship repairing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 35,296 (1997)
By occupation clerical: 23%
By occupation services: 22%
By occupation laborers: 17%
By occupation professional and technical: 17%
By occupation administrative and managerial: 12%
By occupation sales: 7%
By occupation agriculture and fishing: 2% (1996)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1995)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $504.6 million
Expenditures: $537 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY97/98)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.7% (2000 est.)

Exports: $56 million (2000 est.)
Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Partners: UK 29.5% US 9.8% (1997)

Imports: $739 million (2000 est.)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment construction materials chemicals food and live animals
Partners: US 34% UK 9% Mexico 8% (1997)

Debt external: $NA

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

Electricity
Production: 550 million kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Consumption: 511.5 million kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 52,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 7,980 (1996)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
International: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Internet
Country code: .bm
Service providers isps: 20 (2000)
Users: 25,000 (2000)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%

Airports: 1 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Waterways: none

Merchant marine
Total: 105 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,836,538 GRT/9,728,045 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 27, cargo 4, container 15, liquefied gas 7, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 3
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 10, Hong Kong 10, Japan 1, Nigeria 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, UK 10, US 7 (2000 est.)