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Bermuda
  Population: 66,163

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
  • People
  • Government
  • Economy
  • Communications
  • Transportation
  • Military
  • Geography
    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.
    Location:North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US)
    Geographic coordinates:32 20 N, 64 45 W
    Area:total: 53.3 sq km
    land: 53.3 sq km
    water: 0 sq km

    Size comparison: 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)
    Current Environment Issues:sustainable development
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    People
    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.)
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    Government
    Country name:conventional long form: none
    conventional short form: Bermuda
    former: Somers Islands
    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 Acting Governor Mark CAPES (since 12 October 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 24 July 2003 (next to be held not later than 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 [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
    Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Acting Governor Mark CAPES (since 12 October 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
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    Economy
    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)
    Public debt:
    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 - consumption:574.8 million kWh (2005)
    Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2005)
    Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2005)
    Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2004)
    Oil - consumption:4,658 bbl/day (2005 est.)
    Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2005)
    Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
    Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2006)
    Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2005 est.)
    Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2005 est.)
    Exports:$1.469 billion (2004 est.)
    Exports - commodities:reexports of pharmaceuticals
    Exports - partners:Spain 31.6%, UK 16.6%, Brazil 9.6%, Sweden 7.9% (2006)
    Imports:$982 million (2004 est.)
    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)
    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)
    Exchange rates:Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
    Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
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    Communications
    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)
    Television broadcast stations:3 (2005)
    Internet country code:.bm
    Internet hosts:2,949 (2007)
    Internet users:42,000 (2005)
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    Transportation
    Airports:1 (2007)
    Airports - with paved runways:total: 1
    2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
    Airports - with unpaved 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
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    Military
    Defense is the responsibility of the UK
    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.)
    Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.11% (2005 est.)
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    Source: CIA - The World Factbook

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