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United Kingdom - Bermuda

Status: UK overseas territory

Population: 64,500 (2003)

Time: GMT minus 4–3hr

Currency: Bermuda dollar (Bda$), at par with US$

Geography

Bermuda lies in the North Atlantic, east of the United States, and roughly at the latitude of South Carolina. The islands and islets of The Bermudas lie along the southern rim of the summit of a submarine volcanic mountain.

Time: GMT minus 4hr. The clock is advanced by one hour from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October.

Area: 53.3 sq km

Main towns: Hamilton (capital), Tucker’s Town and Flatts Village on Great Bermuda; St George on St George’s Island; Freeport on Ireland Island

Topography: Around 138 limestone islands and islets lie in the shape of a fishhook. The ten main islands form a close chain about 35km long, interconnected by bridges and causeways. The main island is about 23km by 1.6km. Coastlines have small bays, with beaches of fine pale sand, often of pink sand, surrounded by vivid blue-green waters. There are no rivers or lakes. The highest point of the main island is 79m above sea level.

Climate: Generally humid with average maximum (August) and minimum (February) temperatures of 32°C and 9°C. Average annual rainfall is 1,475mm. Hurricanes can occur in the summer; the country had severe hurricanes in August and September 1995.

Vegetation: Inland there is an abundance of subtropical plants including various palm-trees, prickly pear, lantana shrubs; also many introduced flowering trees and bushes. Vegetables (cabbage, carrots, potatoes, beans), fruit (tomatoes, bananas, citrus) and flowers (especially lilies) on cultivated land.

Wildlife: Lizards and green turtles; about ten species of bird; abundance of ants and mosquitoes. A Bermuda Act of 1620 ‘against the killing of sea turtles’ is thought to be the world’s earliest piece of conservation legislation. Further legislation followed in the 17th to 19th centuries to protect flora and fauna including cedar trees, bait fish and birds.

Communications: 225km of public highways and 222km of private roads. Bermuda’s first four-lane highway opened at Crow Lane in 1992.

Three ports, Hamilton, St George and Freeport. Hamilton handles the main passenger and cargo traffic.

The Bermuda International Airport (formerly called Kindley Field) is 15km from Hamilton. When the US air base was closed in 1995, the Bermuda Government took over management of the airport.

There are 862 main telephone lines and 790 mobile phones per 1,000 people (2002/2004).

Society

Population: 64,500 (2003); population density 1,210 per sq km; growth 0.6% p.a.; birth rate 12 per 1,000 people; life expectancy 78 years. About 60% of Bermudians are of African descent; most others are of European or mixed descent.

Religion: mainly Christians (Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Methodists)

Language: English. There is a small Portuguese-speaking community.

Media: The main newspapers are The Royal Gazette (daily), Mid-Ocean News (weekly) and Bermuda Sun (bi-weekly). There are 30,000 internet users (2002).

Education: There are 12 years of compulsory education starting at age five (2002/03). The pupil–teacher ratio for primary is 9:1 and for secondary 7:1 (2001/02). The school year starts in September.

Bermuda College provides post-secondary vocational courses and an associate degree programme. Cedarbridge Academy, a state-of-the-art senior school for 950 students, was opened in 1997. Adult literacy is more than 95%.

Health: Facilities include King Edward VII Hospital, a general hospital, St Brendan’s for mental illnesses, and Agape House for the terminally ill. Other services include child health clinics, school health services and clinics, a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases, family planning services, dental services for children, a physical abuse centre and a hostel for alcoholics. Support therapy for AIDS patients and their relatives is also provided. Infant mortality was an estimated 9 per 1,000 live births in 2005.

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Bermuda Day (24 May), Queen’s Official Birthday (second or third Monday in June), Somers Day and Cup Match (consecutive Thursday and Friday in July/August), Labour Day (first Monday in September), Remembrance Day (11 November), Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Good Friday.

Economy

GDP: US$4,409m (2005)

Tourist arrivals: 272,000 (2004)

Overview: Bermuda’s economy rested principally on tourism and earnings from the US and UK military bases. Closure of these bases coincided with a slowdown in tourism due to recession in the US and the early 1990s were difficult years for the economy.

Since then, tourism, financial services and e-commerce have been successfully developed and the country enjoys one of the world’s highest per capita incomes. The Bermuda Land Development Company was established to plan, finance, market and develop the 800 acres of land vacated by the US military.

After 1999, when the US slowdown began to impact on tourism, the economy slowed to a halt in 2001, picked up in 2002 and grew steadily at around 2% p.a. during 2003–06.

Trade: Most food, fuels, machinery and most manufactured goods are imported. The trade deficit is offset by substantial earnings from the international business sector and tourism. More than 80% of exports are to the EU, while around 80% of imports are from the US.

History

The Bermudas were visited about 1503 by a Spanish sailor, Juan de Bermudez, and had the name ‘La Bermuda’ by 1510. Ferdinand d’Orviedo (also Spanish) sighted them in 1515. They remained uninhabited until 1609, when the Sea Venture, on its way to Virginia with British settlers, and commanded by Sir George Somers, was wrecked upon one of the reefs. News spread of the beauty and fertility of the islands, and in 1612 King James I extended the charter of the Virginia Company to include them. The first emigrants went out in that year; others followed, and enslaved Africans were brought in with them. The islands, known as Somers Islands, were bought about 1615 by some entrepreneurs from the City of London. In 1684 the company’s charter was annulled, and government passed to the Crown.

By the 19th century, the country had a valuable vegetable-export industry; and, around the middle of the century, tourists began arriving; then, as now, mostly from North America.

During the 1939–45 War, a US military base was established at Kindley Field; in 1948, under a treaty between the US and the UK, its airport was opened to civilian aircraft. The base was closed down, and its personnel repatriated, in 1995.

The Parliamentary Franchise Act 1963 enfranchised everyone over the age of 25, and gave property-owners the privilege of two votes. The Progressive Labour Party (PLP), Bermuda’s first political party, was formed shortly before the 1963 elections, but the majority of seats went to independent candidates.

In the following year, most of the independent members formed the United Bermuda Party (UBP) with policies favouring strong professional and business development. A new constitution providing for self-government came into force in 1968, following a general election which was won by the UBP. The UBP was returned to power in seven subsequent elections.

Constitution

Bermuda is a UK overseas territory with a substantial measure of self-government. Its bicameral legislature is responsible for most internal affairs. There is an upper house of 11 members appointed by the governor (three at his/her discretion, five on the premier’s advice, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition) and (following a constitutional change enacted in 2003) a 36-member house of assembly, elected in 36 constituencies by universal adult suffrage for a five-year term.

The governor is responsible for external affairs, defence and internal security. Appointed by and representing the UK monarch, the governor in turn appoints the majority leader in the house of assembly as premier. The premier appoints the cabinet, which must include at least six other members of the legislature.

Politics

Last elections: December 2007

Next elections: 2011

Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by governor

Head of government: Premier Dr Ewart Brown

Ruling party: Progressive Labour Party

A referendum on independence was held in August 1995, just after the country had suffered damage from hurricane Felix. Voter turnout was low (59% of the 38,000 registered voters, as against 78% in 1993). The vote was decisive – 24% for independence and 73% against.

Premier Sir John Swan, who had campaigned for independence, and had said he would resign if the vote went against him, stood down within days of the referendum and was succeeded as leader of the United Bermuda Party (UBP) and premier by Dr David Saul, previously finance minister. In March 1997 Saul resigned from office and was replaced by Bermuda’s first woman premier, Pamela Gordon.

In November 1998 the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), under the leadership of Jennifer Smith, achieved its first general election victory, winning 26 of the 40 seats and receiving 54% of the votes. The UBP, which had been in power for 30 years, won 14 seats; three cabinet ministers lost their seats. The National Liberal Party fought four seats and gained none, and together with the four independent candidates, took less than 2% of the votes.

In July 2003, the PLP, led by Jennifer Smith, defeated the UBP in a general election, winning 22 of the 36 seats. The election was followed by a period of infighting within the PLP culminating on 28 July with Jennifer Smith tendering her resignation as premier and party leader. William Alexander Scott became the new PLP leader and was sworn in as the new premier on 29 July.

In a leadership election at the PLP conference in October 2006, Dr Ewart Brown defeated Alex Scott and was sworn in as premier a few days later. Brown was re-elected in the following elections of December 2007 in which the ruling PLP took, once again, 22 of the 36 seats. UBP now led by Wayne Fubert took the remaining 14.