| Bermuda |
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| Background: 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 and Environmental |
Capital: name: Hamilton
geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 46 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 |
| Area Total: 53.3 sq km |
| Area Land: 53.3 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km |
| Area Comparative: about one-third the size of Washington, DC |
| Coastline: 103 km |
| 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 |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Town Hill 76 m |
| Natural Resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism |
| Land Use Arable Land: 20% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: 0% |
| Land Use Other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005) |
| Irrigated Land: NA |
| Natural Hazards: hurricanes (June to November) |
| Environment Current Issues: sustainable development |
| 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 |
| Population |
| Population: 66,163 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: 18.3% (male 6,094/female 6,014) |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: 69.2% (male 22,696/female 23,094) |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: 12.5% (male 3,597/female 4,668) (2007 est.) |
| Median Age Total: 40.6 years |
| Median Age Male: 39.7 years |
| Median Age Female: 41.4 years (2007 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate: 0.576% (2007 est.) |
| Birth Rate: 11.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death Rate: 7.84 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex Ratio At Birth: 1.02 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Under 15 Years: 1.013 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 15 to 64 Years: 0.983 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 65 Years And Over: 0.771 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Total Population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: 9.58 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: 78.13 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: 76 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: 80.29 years (2007 est.) |
| Total Fertility Rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: 0.297% (2005) |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: 163 (2005) |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: 392 (2005) |
| Religions: Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census) |
| Languages: English (official), Portuguese |
| Literacy Definition: age 15 and over can read and write |
| Literacy Total Population: 98% |
| Literacy Male: 98% |
| Literacy Female: 99% (2005 est.) |
| Administrative Divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick |
| Legal System: English law |
| Economy |
| Overview: Bermuda enjoys the 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. |
| GDP Purchasing Power Parity: $4.5 billion (2004 est.) |
| GDP Real Growth Rate: 4.6% (2004 est.) |
| GDP Composition By Sector Agriculture: 1% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Industry: 10% |
| GDP Composition By Sector 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%, services 19% (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment Rate: 2.1% (2004 est.) |
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation Rate Consumer Prices: 2.8% (November 2005) |
| Industries: international business, tourism, light manufacturing |
| Industrial Production Growth Rate: NA% |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production: 682.5 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: 100% |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: 616.7 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity Exports: 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity Imports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil Production: 0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil Consumption: 4,658 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Exports: $1.469 billion (2004 est.) |
| Exports Commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals |
| Exports Partners: France 66.4%, Spain 11.9%, US 4.6% (2005) |
| Imports: $982 million (2004 est.) |
| Imports Commodities: clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
| Imports Partners: France 38.9%, South Korea 20.9%, US 15.5% (2005) |
| Debt External: $160 million (FY99/00) |
| Economic Aid Recipient: $NA |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: 56,000 (2002) |
| TelephonesMobileCellular: 49,000 (2004) |
| Telephone System General Assessment: good |
| Telephone System Domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines |
| Telephone System International: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005) |
| Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
| Radios: 82,000 (1997) |
| Television Broadcast Stations: 3 (2005) |
| Televisions: 66,000 (1997) |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: 20 (2000) |
| Internet Users: 39,000 (2005) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 1 (2006) |
| Military Expenditures Percent Of GDP: 0.11% (2005 est.) |
| Disputes International: none |