|
|
|
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.
|
|
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 references:
|
North
America |
|
Area:
|
total:
53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - 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
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) |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
asbestos
disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space;
sustainable development |
|
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.) |
|
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/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
7.63
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
2.45
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at
birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
8.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 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.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
black
54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%,
unspecified 0.4% (2000 census) |
|
Religions:
|
Anglican
23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal
11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%,
unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census) |
|
Languages:
|
English
(official), Portuguese |
|
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 |
|
Dependency status:
|
overseas
territory of the UK |
|
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:
|
bicameral
Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body
appointed by the governor, the premier, and the
opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year
terms)
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] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
Bermuda
Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial
Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services
Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers
[Michael CHARLES] |
|
International organization participation:
|
Caricom
(associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief
of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette
BOECKER
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road,
Devonshire DVO3
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX;
American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of
State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
|
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 in 2002-05. 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. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$2.33
billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate):
|
NA |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
2% (2003
est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10%
services: 89% (2002 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
37,470
(2000) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%,
professional and technical 17%, administrative and
managerial 13%, sales 8%, 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 |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
3.3%
(mid-2003 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $671.1 million
expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital
expenditures of $55 million (FY03/04) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
bananas,
vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products |
|
Industries:
|
tourism,
international business, light manufacturing |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA% |
|
Electricity - production:
|
624
million kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
580.3
million kWh (2003) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2003) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2003) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day
(2003) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
4,000
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA (2001)
|
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA (2001)
|
|
Exports:
|
$1.469
billion (2004 est.) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
France
73.2%, UK 6.2%, Spain 2.4% (2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$8.078
billion (2004 est.) |
|
Imports - 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) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
NA |
|
Currency (code):
|
Bermudian
dollar (BMD) |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Bermudian
dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the
US dollar) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 April -
31 March |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
56,000 (2002) |
|
Telephones - 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; submarine
cables - 3 (fiber optic); satellite earth stations - 3
(2005) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
4 (2004) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.bm |
|
Internet hosts:
|
5,161 (2001) |
|
Internet users:
|
34,500 (2003) |
|
Airports:
|
1 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005 est.) |
|
Roadways:
|
total:
447 km
paved: 447 km
note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222
km (2002) |
|
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) |
|
Ports and terminals:
|
Hamilton,
Saint George |
|
Military branches:
|
Bermuda
Regiment |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$4.03
million (2001) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
0.11%
(FY00/01) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense
is the responsibility of the UK |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
|
|
| |
|
|
