Introduction

Bermuda

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. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.

Geography

Bermuda

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) (2005)
Irrigated land:	NA
Natural hazards:	hurricanes (June to November)
Environment - current issues:	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

People

Bermuda

Population:	66,163 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 18.3% (male 6,094/female 6,014) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,696/female 23,094) 65 years and over: 12.5% (male 3,597/female 4,668) (2007 est.)
Median age:	total: 40.6 years male: 39.7 years female: 41.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:	0.576% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:	11.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:	7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:	2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.983 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.771 male(s)/female total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 78.13 years male: 76 years female: 80.29 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	0.297% (2005)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	163 (2005)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	392 (2005)
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% (2005 est.)

Government

Bermuda

Country name:	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands
Dependency status:	overseas territory of the UK
Government type:	parliamentary; self-governing territory
Capital:	name: Hamilton geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
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 Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007) head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX 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 (11 seats; members 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 18 December 2007 (next to be held not later than 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; 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 [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT]
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), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO
Diplomatic representation in the US:	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US 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

Bermuda

Economy - overview:	Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. 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 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 small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$4.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$NA
GDP - real growth rate:	4.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$69,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.)
Labor force:	38,360 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:	2.1% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:	19% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	2.8% (November 2005)
Budget:	revenues: $738 million expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)
Agriculture - products:	bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey
Industries:	international business, tourism, light manufacturing
Industrial production growth rate:	NA%
Electricity - production:	618 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:	574.8 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:	0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:	0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:	4,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:	0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:	4,250 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:	0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:	0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:	0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:	$763 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:	reexports of pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners:	Spain 35.3%, UK 15.7%, Brazil 9.1%, Sweden 7.5% (2006)
Imports:	$1.162 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:	clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals
Imports - partners:	US 71.8%, Venezuela 6.9%, Canada 6.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:	$90,000 (2004)
Debt - external:	$160 million (FY99/00)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:	$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:	$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:	$2.125 billion (2005)
Currency (code):	Bermudian dollar (BMD)
Currency code:	BMD
Exchange rates:	Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year:	1 April - 31 March

Communications

Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:	57,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	60,100 (2006)
Telephone system:	general assessment: good domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber-optic trunk lines international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil; satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:	AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios:	82,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:	3 (2005)
Televisions:	66,000 (1997)
Internet country code:	.bm
Internet hosts:	2,949 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	20 (2000)
Internet users:	42,000 (2005)

Transportation

Bermuda

Airports:	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:	total: 447 km paved: 447 km note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2002)
Merchant marine:	total: 133 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,366,999 GRT/8,615,385 DWT by type: bulk carrier 24, container 22, liquefied gas 30, passenger 23, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 126 (Australia 4, Belgium 3, China 10, France 1, Germany 21, Greece 3, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 1, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Singapore 1, Sweden 15, UK 20, US 23) registered in other countries: 50 (Bahamas 12, Croatia 2, Marshall Islands 5, Philippines 31) (2007)
Ports and terminals:	Hamilton, Saint George

Military

Bermuda

Military branches:	no regular military forces; Bermuda Police Service, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary, Bermuda Regiment
Military service age and obligation:	18-23 years of age; eligible men required to register for conscription as needed into the Bermuda Regiment, which is largely voluntary; term of service 39 months (2007)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 18-49: 15,151 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 18-49: 12,165 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:	males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:	0.11% (2005 est.)
Military - note:	defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Bermuda

Disputes - international:

none

History of Bermuda

Bermuda was discovered by the early 1500s, probably in 1503, according to some sources. It was certainly known by 1511, when Peter Martyr published his Legatio Babylonica, which mentioned Bermuda and the island was also included on Spanish charts of this year. The discovery is attributed to a Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermudez. Both Spanish and Portuguese ships used the islands as a replenishment spot for fresh meat and water, but legends of spirits and devils, now thought to have stemmed only from the callings of raucous birds (most likely the Bermuda Petrel), and of perpetual, storm-wracked conditions (most early visitors arrived under such conditions), kept them from attempting any permanent settlement on the Isle of Devils.

Bermudez and Gonzales Ferdinando d'Oviedo ventured to Bermuda in 1514 or 1515 with the intention to drop off a breeding stock of hogs on the island as a future stock of fresh meat for passing ships. The inclement weather prevented them landing however.

Some years later, a Portuguese ship on the way home from San Domingo wedged itself between two rocks on the reef. The crew tried to salvage as much as they could and spent the next four months building a new hull from Bermuda cedar to return to their initial departure point. One of these stranded sailors is most likely the person who carved the intials "R" and "P", "1543" into Spanish Rock. The initials probably stood for "Rex Portugaline" and later were incorrectly attributed to the Spanish, leading to the misnaming of this rocky outcrop of Bermuda.

For the next century the island was probably visited frequently but not settled. The first two British colonies in Virginia had failed, and a more determined effort was initiated by King James I of England, who granted a Royal Charter to The Virginia Company. In 1609, a flotilla of ships, left England under the Company's Admiral, Sir George Somers, to relieve the colony of Jamestown, settled two years before. Somers had previous experience sailing with both Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. The flotilla was broken up by a storm, and the flagship, the Sea Venture, was wrecked off Bermuda (as depicted on the territory's Coat of Arms), leaving the survivors in possession of a new territory. (William Shakespeare's play The Tempest may have been influenced by William Strachey's account of this shipwreck.) The island was claimed for the English Crown, and the charter of the Virginia Company was extended to include it. In 1615, the island was passed to a new company, the Somers Isles Company (The Somers Isles remains an official name for the Colony), formed by the same shareholders.

Most of the survivors of the Sea Venture had carried on to Jamestown in 1610 aboard two Bermuda-built ships. Among these was John Rolfe, who left a wife and child buried in Bermuda, but would marry a Powhatan princess, Pocahontas, in Jamestown. Rolfe was also single-handedly responsible for beginning Virginia's tobacco industry (the economic basis of the Colony had been intended to be lumber). Deliberate settlement of Bermuda began with the arrival of the Plough, in 1612. With its limited land area, Bermuda has had difficulty ever since with population growth. In the first two centuries of settlement, it relied on steady emigration to keep the population manageable. Before the American Revolution, more than 10,000 Bermudians emigrated, primarily to the American South, where England (later, Britain) was displacing Spain as the dominant European imperial power. A steady trickle of outward migration continued as, by the end of the 18th Century, with seafaring being the only real industry, at least a third of the island's manpower was at sea at any one time.

In the 17th Century, however, the Somers Isles Company suppressed shipbuilding as it needed Bermudians to farm if it was to generate any income from the land. Bermuda was not a great success as an agricultural colony. The Bermuda cedar boxes it shipped tobacco to England in were reportedly worth more than their contents. The colony of Virginia far surpassed Bermuda in both quality and quantity of tobacco produced. After the dissolution of the Somers Isle Company, Bermudians rapidly abandoned agriculture for ship-building, replanting farmland with the native juniper (Juniperus bermudiana, also called Bermuda cedar) trees that grew thickly over the whole island. Establishing effective control over the Turks Islands, Bermudians deforested their landscape to begin the salt trade that would become the world's largest, and remained the cornerstone of Bermuda's economy for the next century. Bermudian sailors would turn their hands to far more trades than supplying salt, however. Whaling, privateering, and the merchant trade were all pursued vigorously. The Bermuda sloop became highly regarded for its speed and manoverability. Indeed, at the end of the Battle of Trafalgar, the Bermuda sloop HMS Pickle, one of the fastest vessels in the Royal Navy, raced back to England with news of the victory and the death of Admiral Lord Nelson.

After the American Revolution, the British Royal Navy began improving the harbours and built a large dockyard on Ireland Island, in the west of the chain. Thereafter the navy used the bases as a strategic asset which later benefited the USA as well (see below).

In the early 20th century, as modern transport and communication systems developed, Bermuda became a popular destination for wealthy US, Canadian and British tourists. In addition, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act enacted by the United States against its trading partners in 1930 cut off Bermuda's once-thriving agricultural export trade - primarily fresh vegetables to the US - spurring the overseas territory to develop its tourist industry, which is second behind international business in terms of economic importance to the island.

Last update on 4 March 2008