BERMUDA
(dependent territory of the UK)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 50 km2; land area: 50 km2
Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
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
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
0%; forest and woodland 20%; other 80%
Environment: ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes;
consists of about 360 small coral islands
Note: 1,050 km east of North Carolina; some reclaimed land
leased by US Government
PEOPLE
Population: 58,433 (July 1991), growth rate 1.5% (1991)
Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 7 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Bermudian(s); adjective--Bermudian
Ethnic divisions: black 61%, white and other 39%
Religion: Anglican 37%, Roman Catholic 14%, African Methodist
Episcopal (Zion) 10%, Methodist 6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, other
28%
Language: English
Literacy: 98% (male 98%, female 99%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1970)
Labor force: 32,000; clerical 25%, services 22%, laborers 21%,
professional and technical 13%, administrative and managerial 10%,
sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1984)
Organized labor: 8,573 members (1985); largest union is Bermuda
Industrial Union
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*;
Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*,
Saint George's, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 8 June 1968
Legal system: English law
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 22 May
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, deputy governor,
premier, deputy premier, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house
or Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor Sir Desmond LANGLEY (since NA October 1988);
Head of Government--Premier John William David SWAN (since NA
January 1982)
Political parties and leaders:
United Bermuda Party (UBP), John W. D. SWAN;
Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Frederick WADE;
National Liberal Party (NLP), Gilbert DARRELL
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
House of Assembly--last held 9 February 1989 (next to be
held by February 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(40 total) UBP 23, PLP 15, NLP 1, other 1
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU),
headed by Ottiwell SIMMONS
Member of: CARICOM (observer), ICFTU, IOC
Diplomatic representation: as a dependent territory of the UK,
Bermuda's interests in the US are represented by the UK;
US--Consul General L. Ebersole GAINES; Consulate General at
Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton (mailing address is
P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX, or FPO New York 09560-5300); telephone
(809) 295-1342
Flag: 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 luxury
tourist facilities and financial services. The tourist industry attracts
more than 90% 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.
GDP: $1.3 billion, per capita $22,400; real growth rate 2.0% (1989
est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (June 1989)
Unemployment: 2.0% (1988)
Budget: revenues $307 million; expenditures $275 million, including
capital expenditures of $31 million (FY90 est.)
Exports: $30 million (f.o.b., FY88);
commodities--semitropical produce, light manufactures;
partners--US 25%, Italy 25%, UK 14%, Canada 5%, other 31%
Imports: $420 million (c.i.f., FY88);
commodities--fuel, foodstuffs, machinery;
partners--US 58%, Netherlands Antilles 9%, UK 8%, Canada 6%, Japan
5%, other 14%
External debt: NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 154,000 kW capacity; 504 million kWh produced,
8,640 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: tourism, finance, structural concrete products,
paints, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
Agriculture: accounts for less than 1% of GDP; most basic foods
must be imported; produces bananas, vegetables, citrus fruits, flowers,
dairy products
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $34
million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-88), $267 million
Currency: Bermudian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Bermudian dollar
(Bd$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar (Bd$) per US$1--1.0000 (fixed
rate)
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 210 km public roads, all paved (about 400 km of private
roads)
Ports: Freeport, Hamilton, Saint George
Merchant marine: 84 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,826,756
GRT/6,932,981 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 8 cargo, 7
refrigerated cargo, 4 container, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 26 petroleum, oils,
and lubricants (POL) tanker, 11 liquefied gas, 17 bulk; note--a flag of
convenience registry
Civil air: 16 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: modern with fully automatic telephone system;
52,670 telephones; stations--5 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV; 3 submarine cables; 2
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Reserve
Constabulary
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK