Bermuda (overseas territory of the UK)

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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

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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.)

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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

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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

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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.)

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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.)

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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

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Disputes—international: none