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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: 50 sq km
land: 50 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area—comparative: about 0.3 times 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: 6%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 94% (1997 est.)
note: developed (55%) and rural/open space (39%) comprise
94% of Bermudian land area
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)
Environment—current issues: asbestos disposal; water
pollution; preservation of open space
Environment—international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: consists of about 360 small coral
islands with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes;
some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government
from 1941 to 1995
Population: 62,472 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 6,174; female 6,023)
15-64 years: 70% (male 21,479; female 22,041)
65 years and over: 10% (male 2,897; female 3,858) (1999
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.72% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.83 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.27 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999
est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births (1999
est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.97 years
male: 75.19 years
female: 78.83 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups: black 61%, white and other 39%
Religions: Anglican 28%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist
Episcopal (Zion) 12%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Methodist 5%, other
34% (1991)
Languages: English (official), Portuguese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
Data code: BD
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*;
Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*,
Saint Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May
Constitution: 8 June 1968
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 Thorold MASEFIELD (since NA June 1997)
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; premier appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the
Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor) and the House
of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last 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
Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party or
UBP [Pamela GORDON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH];
National Liberal Party or NLP [Charles JEFFERS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Industrial
Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association
or BPSA [Betty CHRISTOPHER]
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 Robert A. FARMER
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire,
Hamilton
mailing address: P.O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American
Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, Washington, DC
20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592
Flag description: red, with the flag of the UK in the
upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white
and blue 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—overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest
per capita incomes in the world, having successfully exploited its
location by providing financial services for international firms
and luxury tourist facilities for 360,000 visitors annually. The
tourist industry, which accounts for an estimated 28% of GDP, attracts
84% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is
small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable
land. About 80% of food needs are imported. International business
contributes over 60% of Bermuda's economic output; a failed independence
vote in late 1995 can be partially attributed to Bermudian fears
of scaring away foreign firms.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.9 billion (1997 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$30,000
(1997 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1997)
Labor force: 35,296 (1997)
Labor force—by occupation: clerical 23%, services
22%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative
and managerial 12%, sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1996)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1995)
Budget:
revenues: $504.6 million
expenditures: $537 million, including capital expenditures
of $75 million (FY97/98)
Industries: tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete
products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 480 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 480 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: bananas, vegetables, citrus,
flowers; dairy products
Exports: $57 million (1997)
Exports—commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Exports—partners: Netherlands 50%, Brazil 13%, Canada
6% (1996)
Imports: $617 million (1997)
Imports—commodities: miscellaneous manufactured articles,
machinery and transport equipment, food and live animals, chemicals
Imports—partners: US 73%, UK 5%, Canada 4% (1996
est.)
Debt—external: $NA
Economic aid—recipient: $27.9 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Bermudian dollar (Bd$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1—1.0000
(fixed rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March
Telephones: 54,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations—3
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 78,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997)
Televisions: 57,000 (1992 est.)
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 225 km
paved: 225 km
unpaved: 0 km (1997 est.)
note: in addition, there are 232 km of paved and unpaved
roads that are privately owned
Ports and harbors: Hamilton, Saint George
Merchant marine:
total: 97 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,647,576 GRT/7,612,686
DWT
ships by type: bulk 18, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, container
20, liquefied gas tanker 7, oil tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 15,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 2
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from
11 countries among which are UK 24, Canada 12, Hong Kong 11, US
11, Nigeria 4, Sweden 4, Norway 3, and Switzerland 2 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military branches: Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force,
Bermuda Reserve Constabulary
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%
Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the
UK
Disputes—international: none
Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook
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