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 also developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N 64 45 W

Area
Rank: 232
Comparative: about one-third the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 103 km

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

Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions

Natural resources: limestone pleasant climate fostering tourism

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 the US Government from 1941 to 1995

Population: 69,080 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 202
Growth rate: 0.572% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 145
Below poverty line: 19% (2000)

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: Protestant 52% (Anglican 23% African Methodist Episcopal 11% other Protestant 18%) Roman Catholic 15% other 12% unaffiliated 6% unspecified 1% none 14% (2000 census)

Population growth rate: 0.572% (2012 est.)
Rank: 145

Birth rate: 11.42 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 169

Death rate: 7.74 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 109

Net migration rate: 2.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 37

Environment
Current issues: sustainable development

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 221

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 22

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 134

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2005)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 88
People living with hivaids: 163 (2005)
People living with hivaids rank: 160
Deaths: 392 (2005)
Deaths rank: 99

Education expenditures: 2.6% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 146

Government type: parliamentary; self-governing territory

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 common law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor the premier and the opposition to serve a five-year term) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Chief Justice and other justices appointed by the governor; remain in office until they reach 65 years of age); Court of Appeal (President of the Court of Appeal and other justices appointed by the governor for a specific period laid out in their respective instruments of appointment); Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Marc BEAN]; One Bermuda Alliance or OBA [Thad HOLLIS]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: red with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (a white shield with a red lion standing on a green grassy field holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag; it was the shipwreck of the vessel filled with English colonists originally bound for Virginia that led to settling of Bermuda

National symbols: red lion

Economy overview: Bermuda enjoys the fourth highest per capita income in the world more than 50% higher than that of the US; the average cost of a house by the mid-2000s exceeded $1,000,000 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 on the US 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 largely focused on construction and agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.5 billion (2004 est.)
Rank: 170

Real gdp growth rate: 4.6% (2004 est.)
Rank: 68

Real gdp per capita: $69,900 (2004 est.)
Rank: 5

Agriculture products: bananas vegetables citrus flowers; dairy products honey

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 38,360 (2004)
Rank: 200

Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2004 est.)
Rank: 16

Population below poverty line: 19% (2000)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.7% (2011 est.)
Rank: 60

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 100

Exports: $16 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 210
Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Partners: Germany 14% US 11.7% Australia 8% (2011)

Imports: $940 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 177
Commodities: clothing fuels machinery and transport equipment construction materials chemicals food and live animals
Partners: South Korea 43.4% US 16.1% China 9.6% Norway 7.5% Singapore 6.6% (2011)

Debt external: $160 million (FY99/00)
Rank: 187

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates: Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - 1 (2012)

Electricity
Production: 686.4 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 156
Consumption: 645.2 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 163
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 162
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 159
Installed generating capacity: 165,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 157
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 7
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 47
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 159
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 109

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 109
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 80
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 158
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 107

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 124
Products consumption: 4,361 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 175
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 153
Products imports: 4,019 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 164

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 100
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 119
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 158
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 159
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 111

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 812,800 Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 171

Telephones
Main lines in use: 57,800 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 160
Mobile cellular: 88,200 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 194

Broadcast media: 3 TV stations; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; roughly 10 radio stations operating (2007)

Internet
Country code: .bm
Hosts: 20,040 (2012)
Hosts rank: 119
Users: 54,000 (2009)
Users rank: 173

Military expenditures: 0.11% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 170

Military service age and obligation: 18-45 years of age for voluntary male or female enlistment in the Bermuda Regiment; males must register at age 18 and may be subjectt to conscription; term of service is 38 months for volunteers or conscripts (2012)

Airports: 1 (2012)
Rank: 219

Roadways
Rank: 197

Merchant marine
Rank: 41

Ports and terminals: Hamilton Ireland Island Saint George

Disputes international: none