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. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N 64 45 W

Map reference: North America

Area
Total: 53.3 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 53.3 km²
Comparative: about one-third 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: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

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 reclaimed and otherwise was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

Population: 63,960 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 0.69% (2002 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: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 11.82 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.49 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.61 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 0.94 male/female
Under 15 years: 0.97 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male/female
Total population: 0.95 male/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.28 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.3 years
Female: 79.27 years (2002 est.)
Male: 75.21 years

Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (2002 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 George's Sandys Smith's 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 Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
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; 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 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 [Chairman Wayne FURBERT]

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 Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
From the us consulates general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, 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

Economy overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported with the US serving as the primary source of goods followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited only 6% of the land being arable.

Real gdp growth rate: 2.9% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 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 international business light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 37,472 (2000)
By occupation clerical: 22%
By occupation services: 20%
By occupation laborers: 17%
By occupation professional and technical: 17%
By occupation administrative and managerial: 13%
By occupation sales: 8%
By occupation agriculture and fishing: 3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1993)

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $609.5 million
Expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3% (July 2001)

Exports: $51 million (2000)
Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Partners: EU excluding UK 77.9% US 9.8% UK 6.9% (1999)

Imports: $719 million (2000)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment construction materials chemicals food and live animals
Partners: EU excluding UK 35.4% US 17.8% UK 15.4% Russia 14.6% (1999)

Debt external: $145 million (FY99/00)

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

Electricity
Production: 595 million kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 553.35 million kWh (2000)
Exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Imports: 0 kWh (2000)

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: $4,027,970 (January 2002)
Percent of gdp: 0.11% (FY00/01)

Airports: 1 (2002)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2002)

Railways: 0 km

Waterways: none

Merchant marine
Total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.)
Ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3

Disputes international: none