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
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) (2001)

Irrigated land: NA

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

Population: 65,365 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 0.64% (2005 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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 6,177/female 6,154)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,422/female 22,828)
65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,378/female 4,406) (2005 est.)

Median age
Total: 39.76 years
Male: 38.78 years
Female: 40.58 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.64% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 11.6 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 7.63 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.45 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male/female
Total population: 0.96 male/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.53 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 10.14 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.9 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.79 years
Male: 75.7 years
Female: 79.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (2005 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 and 2003

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 11 April 2002)
Head of government: Premier William Alexander SCOTT (since 24 July 2003); Deputy Premier Ewart BROWN
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 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 [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant GIBBONS]

International organization participation: Caricom (associate) ICFTU Interpol (subbureau) IOC UPU WCO Egmont Group Caribbean Financial Action Task Force

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER
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, 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 nearly equal to that of the US. Its economy is 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 tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to travel. Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-04. 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 only 20% of the land being arable.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $2.33 billion (2003 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.)

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

Agriculture products: bananas vegetables citrus flowers; dairy products

Industries: tourism international business light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 37,470 (2000)
By occupation agriculture and fishing: 3%
By occupation laborers: 17%
By occupation clerical: 22%
By occupation professional and technical: 17%
By occupation administrative and managerial: 13%
By occupation sales: 8%
By occupation services: 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: 19% (2000)

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

Budget
Revenues: $671.1 million
Expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55 million (FY03/04)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.3% (mid-2003 est.)

Exports: $879 million (2002)
Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Partners: France 73.2% UK 6.2% Spain 2.4% (2004)

Imports: $5.523 billion (2002)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment construction materials chemicals food and live animals
Partners: Kazakhstan 39.2% France 16.2% Japan 13.1% Italy 9.2% South Korea 8.8% US 6.4% (2004)

Debt external: $160 million (FY99/00)

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

Electricity
Production: 643 million kWh (2002)
Consumption: 598 million kWh (2002)
Exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 56,000 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 37,873 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: good
Domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines
International: country code - 1-441; 3 fiber optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Internet
Country code: .bm
Hosts: 5,161 (2001)
Users: 34,500 (2003)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $4.03 million (2001)
Percent of gdp: 0.11% (FY00/01)

Airports: 1 (2004 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Merchant marine
Total: 108 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782 DWT
By type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 6, container 22, liquefied gas 13, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7
Foreign owned: 103 (Australia 2, Canada 20, Finland 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 5, Indonesia 1, Nigeria 8, Norway 5, Sweden 9, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 27, United States 20)
Registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Disputes international: none