Bermuda
parliamentaryIndependence none (overseas territory of the UK)
Bermuda as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.
Geography
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US)
17 fieldsLand useshare of 53.3 sq km
Geography - note
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
People
21 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2000 census)
Religions(2000 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.98 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.77 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Government
Parliamentary; Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 36 seatsone dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Capital
- name:
- Hamilton
- geographic coordinates:
- 32 17 N, 64 47 W
- time difference:
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
- daylight saving time:
- +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
Administrative divisions
9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007)
- head of government:
- Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX
- cabinet:
- Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
- elections:
- 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 (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
- elections:
- last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be held not later than 2012)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14
Political parties and leaders
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS];
- Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS];
- Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL];
- Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO, WFTU
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
- consulate(s) general:
- Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US 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
Economy
41 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Bermuda enjoys the third highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector.
Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities
clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- good
- domestic:
- fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines
- international:
- country code - 1-441;
- landing point for the Atlantica-1 telecommunications submarine cable that extends from the US to Brazil;
- satellite earth stations - 3 (2007)
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 137 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Military
Bermuda Regiment (2008)
7 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
- 18-23 years of age;
- eligible men required to register for conscription as needed into the Bermuda Regiment, which is largely voluntary;
- term of service 39 months (2007)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Bermuda.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bermuda/2008.