Page last updated on December 17, 2013
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Vacationing 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 also developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995.
North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US)
total: 54 sq km
country comparison to the world: 232
land: 54 sq km
water: 0 sq km
about one-third the size of Washington, DC
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
low hills separated by fertile depressions
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m
limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
arable land: 14.8%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 85.2% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2011)
hurricanes (June to November)
consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by the US Government from 1941 to 1995
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian
black 53.8%, white 31%, mixed 7.5%, other races 7.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2010 census)
English (official), Portuguese
Protestant 49.2% (Anglican 15.8%, African Methodist Episcopal 8.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.7, other Protestant 18.1%), Roman Catholic 14.5%, other 12.4%, unspecified 6.2%, none 17.7% (2010 census)
69,467 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
0-14 years: 17.6% (male 6,186/female 6,048)
15-24 years: 12.3% (male 4,249/female 4,262)
25-54 years: 40% (male 13,861/female 13,956)
55-64 years: 14.1% (male 4,660/female 5,159)
65 years and over: 16% (male 4,644/female 6,442) (2013 est.)
total: 42.6 years
male: 40.9 years
female: 44.3 years (2013 est.)
0.55% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
11.39 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
urban population: 100% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
HAMILTON (capital) 11,000 (2011)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
total: 2.47 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 222
male: 2.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 80.93 years
country comparison to the world: 22
male: 77.71 years
female: 84.2 years (2013 est.)
1.96 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
0.3% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 81
163 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 160
392 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 99
2.6% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 154
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (2005 est.)
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 13 years (2011)
total: 10.8%
country comparison to the world: 104
male: 14.3%
female: 7.6% (2000)
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands
overseas territory of the UK
parliamentary; self-governing territory
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
9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick
none (overseas territory of the UK)
several previous (dating to 1684); latest entered into force 8 June 1968; amended several times, last in 2003 (2013)
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor George FERGUSSON (since 23 May 2012)
head of government: Premier Craig CANNONIER (since 18 December 2012)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition to serve a five-year term) 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 on 17 December 2012 (next to be held not later than 2017)
election results: percent of vote by party - OBA 51.7%, PLP 46.1%, other 2.2%; seats by party - OBA 19, PLP 17
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 4 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, 4 puisne judges, and 1 associate justice)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal justice appointed by the governor; justice tenure by individual appointment; Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission and appointed by the governor; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: commercial court (began in 2006); magistrates' courts
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Marc BEAN]; One Bermuda Alliance or OBA [Thad HOLLIS]
Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers or ABIR [Bradley KADING]; Association of Bermuda International Companies or ABIC [George HUTCHINGS]; Bermuda Employer's Council [Keith JENSEN]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Chris Furbert]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Kevin GRANT and Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
Caricom (associate), ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UPU, WCO
none (overseas territory of the UK)
chief of mission: Consul General Robert SETTJE (since August 2012)
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, 296-9233
red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (a white shield with a red lion standing on a green grassy field holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag; it was the shipwreck of the vessel, filled with English colonists originally bound for Virginia, that led to settling of Bermuda
note: the flag is unusual in that it is only British overseas territory that uses a red ensign, all others use blue
name: "Hail to Bermuda"
lyrics/music: Bette JOHNS
note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
Despite four years of recession and a public debt of $1.4 billion, Bermuda enjoys the fourth highest per capita income in the world, about 70% higher than that of the US. The average cost of a single-family home in 2012 was $1.1 million. Its economy is primarily based on international business and the provision of financial services to that sector, and to a lesser extent tourism. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US and again after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 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 and has dropped in its relevant importance to the economy, although it is still important as a job creator. Bermuda must import almost everything. Agriculture is limited due to the small size of the island and Bermuda's industrial sector is small.
$5.6 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
-3.5% (2011)
country comparison to the world: 215
$86,000 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
household consumption: 33.6%
government consumption: 15.9%
investment in fixed capital: 24.6%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 68.1%
imports of goods and services: -42.2%
agriculture: 0.7%
industry: 5.6%
services: 93.7% (2012 est.)
bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey
international business, tourism, light manufacturing
37,400 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 200
agriculture and fishing: 3%
laborers: 17%
clerical: 19%
professional and technical: 21%
administrative and managerial: 15%
sales: 7%
services: 19% (2004 est.)
8% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $973.2 million
expenditures: $1.115 billion (FY11/12)
17.4% of GDP (FY11/12 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
-2.5% of GDP (FY11/12 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
2.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
$1.533 billion (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 102
$12 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
reexports of pharmaceuticals
Australia 17%, US 14.8%, Indonesia 12.6% (2012)
$900 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals
South Korea 46.2%, US 21%, Singapore 9.9%, China 7%, Turkmenistan 4.8% (2012)
$1.4 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Bermudian dollars (BMD) per US dollar -
675 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
638.4 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
165,000 kW (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
98.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
1.8% of total installed capacity
country comparison to the world: 71
note: the Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility turns waste to electric energy (2012 est.)
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 105
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
2,747 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
2,747 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
0 cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
0 cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
0 cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
0 cu m (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 112
776,900 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
69,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 156
91,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 195
general assessment: a good, fully automatic digital telephone system with fiber-optic trunk lines
domestic: the system has a high fixed-line teledensity coupled with a mobile-cellular teledensity of roughly 125 per 100 persons
international: country code - 1-441; landing points for the GlobeNet, Gemini Bermuda, CBUS, and the Challenger Bermuda-1 (CB-1) submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 (2010)
3 TV stations; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; roughly 13 radio stations operating (2012)
20,040 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 119
54,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 173
1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 212
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
total: 447 km
country comparison to the world: 197
paved: 447 km
note: 225 km public roads; 222 km private roads (2010)
total: 139
country comparison to the world: 41
by type: bulk carrier 22, chemical tanker 3, container 14, liquefied gas 43, passenger 27, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 9
foreign-owned: 105 (France 1, Germany 14, Greece 8, Hong Kong 4, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Japan 2, Monaco 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, UK 14, US 26)
registered in other countries: 241 (Bahamas 15, Cyprus 1, France 5, Greece 3, Hong Kong 20, Isle of Man 7, Liberia 4, Malta 15, Marshall Islands 35, Netherlands 1, Norway 24, Panama 27, Philippines 47, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 25, UK 6, US 5) (2010)
major seaport(s): Hamilton, Ireland Island, Saint George
18-45 years of age for voluntary male or female enlistment in the Bermuda Regiment; males must register at age 18 and may be subject to conscription; term of service is 38 months for volunteers or conscripts (2012)
males age 16-49: 15,081 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 12,323
females age 16-49: 12,174 (2010 est.)
male: 433
female: 410 (2010 est.)
0.11% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
defense is the responsibility of the UK
