Bermuda Population: 69,467
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| Background | |
| Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Vacationing 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. |
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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| 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: 54 sq km land: 54 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: | 69,467 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 17.6% (male 6,186/female 6,048) 15-24 years: 12.3% (male 4,249/female 4,262) 25-54 years: 40% (male 13,861/female 13,956) 55-64 years: 14.1% (male 4,660/female 5,159) 65 years and over: 16% (male 4,644/female 6,442) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 42.3 years male: 40.7 years female: 43.9 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.572% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 11.42 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 2.47 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.82 years male: 77.6 years female: 84.1 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.96 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.3% (2005) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 163 (2005) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 392 (2005) |
| Nationality: | noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian |
| Ethnic groups: | black 53.8%, white 31%, mixed 7.5%, other races 7.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2010 census) |
| Religions: | Protestant 49.2% (Anglican 15.8%, African Methodist Episcopal 8.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.7, other Protestant 18.1%), Roman Catholic 14.5%, other 12.4%, unspecified 6.2%, none 17.7% (2010 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 common law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor George FERGUSSON (since 23 May 2012) head of government: Premier Craig CANNONIER (since 18 December 2012) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition 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 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) elections: last general election held on 17 December 2012 (next to be held not later than 2017) election results: percent of vote by party - OBA 51.7%, PLP 46.1%; seats by party - OBA 19, PLP 17 |
| 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] |
| 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), ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UPU, WCO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Consul General Grace W. SHELTON 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, 296-9233 |
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| Economy | |
| Despite four years of recession and a public debt of $1.4 billion, 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 single-family home in 2012 was $1.1 million. Its economy is primarily based on international business and the provision of financial services to that sector, and to a lesser extent tourism. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US and again after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 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 and has dropped in its relevant importance to the economy, although it is still important as a job creator. Bermuda must import almost everything. Agriculture is limited due to the small size of the island and Bermuda's industrial sector is small. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $5.6 billion (2011 est.) $5.803 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $5.6 billion (2011) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -3.5% (2011) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $86,000 (2011 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 0.7% industry: 7% services: 92.3% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 37,400 (2011) |
| 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: | 8% (2012 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 11% (2008 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2012 est.) 2.7% (2011 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $973.2 million expenditures: $1.115 billion (FY11/12) |
| Agriculture - products: | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey |
| Industries: | international business, tourism, light manufacturing |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 716.8 million kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 636.5 million kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Exports: | $15 million (2012 est.) $16 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | reexports of pharmaceuticals |
| Exports - partners: | Germany 14%, US 11.7% note: Bermuda does not keep detailed export statistics; the 9.5% is an estimate (2011) |
| Imports: | $950 million (2012 est.) $940 million (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
| Imports - partners: | US 61%, Canada 10%, UK 3%, Caribbean 1% (2013) |
| Debt - external: | $1.4 billion (2012 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.533 billion (31 December 2012) $1.436 billion (31 December 2011) $1.535 billion (31 December 2010) |
| Exchange rates: | Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar - 1 (2012 est.) 1 (2011 est.) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 57,800 (2010) country comparison to the world: 160 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 88,200 (2010) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: a good, fully automatic digital telephone system with fiber-optic trunk lines domestic: the system has a high fixed-line teledensity coupled with a mobile-cellular teledensity of roughly 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 1-441; landing points for the GlobeNet, Gemini Bermuda, and the Challenger Bermuda-1 (CB-1)submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 (2009) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .bm |
| Internet hosts: | 20,040 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 54,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 1 (2012) country comparison to the world: 212 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2012) |
| Roadways: | total: 447 km paved: 447 km note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 139 by type: bulk carrier 22, chemical tanker 3, container 14, liquefied gas 43, passenger 27, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 9 foreign-owned: 105 (France 1, Germany 14, Greece 8, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Monaco 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, UK 14, US 26) registered in other countries: 241 (Bahamas 15, Cyprus 1, France 5, Greece 3, Hong Kong 20, Isle of Man 7, Liberia 4, Malta 15, Marshall Islands 35, Netherlands 1, Norway 24, Panama 27, Philippines 47, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 25, UK 6, US 5) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Hamilton, Ireland Island, Saint George |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of the UK | |
| Military branches: | Bermuda Regiment (2012) |
| 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) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 15,081 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 12,323 females age 16-49: 12,174 (2010 est.) |
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