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This article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and edit the Bermuda article.

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.

[edit] Geography

Location 

North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates 

32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references 

North America

Area 

total: 53.3 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km

Area - comparative 

about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 

0 km

Coastline 

103 km

Maritime claims 

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

NA sq km

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, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995

[edit] People

Population 

63,960 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442)
65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

0.69% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 77.3 years
female: 79.27 years (2002 est.)
male: 75.21 years

Total fertility rate 

1.81 children born/woman (2002 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 58%, white 36%, other 6%

Religions 

non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19%

Languages 

English (official), Portuguese

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)

[edit] Government

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

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 NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Jennifer SMITH (since 10 November 1998)
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 (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders 

National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation 

Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC

Diplomatic representation in the US 

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3
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

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy 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 already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

2.9% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 1%
industry: 10%
services: 89% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

3% (July 2001)

Labor force 

37,472 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation 

clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate 

4.5% (1993)

Budget 

revenues: $609.5 million
expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01)

Industries 

tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

595 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

553.35 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Exports 

$51 million (2000)

Exports - commodities 

reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners 

EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999)

Imports 

$719 million (2000)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners 

EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia 14.6% (1999)

Debt - external 

$145 million (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient 

$NA

Currency 

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

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

7,980 (1996)

Telephone system 

general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios 

82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

3 (1997)

Televisions 

66,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.bm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

20 (2000)

Internet users 

25,000 (2000)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

total: 450 km
paved: 450 km
note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)
unpaved: 0 km

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard

Merchant marine 

total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3

Airports 

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$4,027,970 (January 2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

0.11% (FY00/01)

Military - note 

defense is the responsibility of the UK

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none