Profile - Bermuda

7/30/2019 Profile - Bermuda

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Bermuda

Introduction Bermuda

Background: Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonistsheaded for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North Americanwinters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to beimportant to the island's economy, although international business hasovertaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highlysuccessful offshore financial center. Although a referendum onindependence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the presentgovernment has reopened debate on the issue.

Geography Bermuda

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

Geographiccoordinates:

32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 53.3 sq km

Page 1 of 9CIA - The World Factbook -- Bermuda

10/4/2008https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/bd.html


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land: 53.3 sq kmwater: 0 sq km

Area -comparative:

about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Landboundaries:

0 km

Coastline: 103 km

Maritimeclaims:

territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevationextremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Town Hill 76 m

Naturalresources: 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

Naturalhazards:

hurricanes (June to November)

Environment -current issues:

sustainable development

Geography -note:

consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but norivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Governmentfrom 1941 to 1995

People Bermuda

Population: 66,536 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 6,055/female 5,954)15-64 years: 69.1% (male 22,795/female 23,189)65 years and over: 12.8% (male 3,728/female 4,815) (2008 est.)

Median age: total: 41 yearsmale: 40.1 yearsfemale: 41.8 years (2008 est.)

Populationgrowth rate:

0.546% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 11.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 7.98 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)




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Net migrationrate:

2.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortalityrate:

total: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancyat birth:

total population: 78.3 yearsmale: 76.15 yearsfemale: 80.48 years (2008 est.)

Total fertilityrate:

1.88 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adultprevalence 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%, none14% (2000 census)

Languages: English (official), Portuguese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 98%male: 98%female: 99% (2005 est.)

School lifeexpectancy(primary to

tertiaryeducation):

total: 13 yearsmale: 13 yearsfemale: 14 years (2005)

Educationexpenditures:

1.2% of GDP (2006)

Government Bermuda




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Country name: conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Bermudaformer: Somers Islands

Dependencystatus:

overseas territory of the UK

Governmenttype: parliamentary; self-governing territory

Capital: name: Hamiltongeographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends firstSunday in November

Administrativedivisions:

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)

Nationalholiday:

Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution: 8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executivebranch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);represented by Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December2007)head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006);Deputy Premier Paula COXcabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governorelections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch;following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or theleader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by thegovernor

Legislativebranch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; membersappointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the

House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote toserve up to five-year terms)elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be heldnot later than 2012)election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; seatsby party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda




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and leaders: Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]

Politicalpressure

groups andleaders:

Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Unionor BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU[Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International

organizationparticipation:

Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO

Diplomaticrepresentation

in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomaticrepresentation

from the US:

chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTONconsulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; AmericanConsulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 HamiltonPlace, Washington, DC 20520-5300telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Flagdescription:

red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and theBermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding ascrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermudain 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy Bermuda

Economy -overview:

Bermuda enjoys the third highest per capita income in the world, morethan 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based onproviding financial services for international business and luxury

facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to theisland following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again afterHurricane Katrina in August 2005, contributing to the expansion of analready robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry -which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues tostruggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capitalequipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector issmall, although construction continues to be important; the average costof a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limitedwith only 20% of the land being arable.

GDP

(purchasingpower parity):

$4.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (officialexchange rate):

$NA

GDP - realgrowth rate:

4.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita(PPP):

$69,900 (2004 est.)




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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%, services19% (2004 est.)

Unemploymentrate:

2.1% (2004 est.)

Populationbelow poverty

line:

19% (2000)

Householdincome or

consumption bypercentage

share:

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

Inflation rate(consumer

prices):

2.8% (November 2005)

Budget: revenues: $738 millionexpenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)

Agriculture -products:

bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey

Industries: international business, tourism, light manufacturing

Industrialproduction

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 - 4,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)




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consumption:

Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports: 4,250 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - provedreserves:

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 -

provedreserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Exports: $763 million (2006)

Exports -commodities:

reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports -partners:

Brazil 15%, Spain 13.7%, Germany 11.6%, Denmark 6.5%, UK 6%(2007)

Imports: $1.162 billion (2006)

Imports -

commodities:clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, constructionmaterials, chemicals, food and live animals

Imports -partners:

US 25.1%, Germany 21.2%, Italy 19%, France 5.7% (2007)

Economic aid -recipient:

$90,000 (2004)

Debt - external: $160 million (FY99/00)

Stock of directforeign

investment - at

home:

$NA

Stock of directforeign

investment -abroad:

$NA

Market value ofpublicly traded

shares:

$2.125 billion (2005)

Currency




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(code): Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code: BMD

Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the USdollar)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Bermuda

Telephones -main lines in

use:

57,700 (2006)

Telephones -mobile cellular:

60,100 (2006)

Telephonesystem:

general assessment: gooddomestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines

international: country code - 1-441; landing point for the Atlantica-1telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil;satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)

Radiobroadcast

stations:

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios: 82,000 (1997)

Televisionbroadcast

stations:

3 (2005)

Televisions: 66,000 (1997)

Internet countrycode:

.bm

Internet hosts: 2,949 (2007)

Internet ServiceProviders

(ISPs):

20 (2000)

Internet users: 48,000 (2007)

Transportation Bermuda

Airports: 1 (2007)

Airports - withpaved runways:

total: 12,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways: total: 447 kmpaved: 447 kmnote: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2007)




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Merchantmarine:

total: 138 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,949,799 GRT/9,181,925 DWTby type: bulk carrier 23, chemical tanker 3, container 22, liquefied gas32, passenger 24, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 18, refrigeratedcargo 9, roll on/roll off 2foreign-owned: 116 (Australia 2, Belgium 2, China 9, France 1, Germany22, Greece 9, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Nigeria 11,Norway 5, Sweden 20, UK 2, US 23)registered in other countries: 56 (Bahamas 12, Croatia 1, MarshallIslands 4, Philippines 39) (2008)

Ports andterminals:

Hamilton, Saint George

Military Bermuda

Militarybranches:

Bermuda Regiment (2008)

Military serviceage and

obligation:

18-23 years of age; eligible men required to register for conscription asneeded into the Bermuda Regiment, which is largely voluntary; term of

service 39 months (2007)

Manpoweravailable for

military service:

males age 16-49: 15,623 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit formilitary service:

males age 16-49: 12,682 (2008 est.)

Manpowerreachingmilitarily

significant age

annually:

male: 426female: 445 (2008 est.)

Militaryexpenditures:

0.11% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational

IssuesBermuda

Disputes -international:

none

This page was last updated on 2 October, 2008


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