Bermuda (2002) | Hong Kong (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick | none (special administrative region of China) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)
15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products | fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 3 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km |
Area - comparative | about one-third the size of Washington, DC | six times the size of Washington, DC |
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. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. | Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. |
Birth rate | 11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $609.5 million
expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01) |
revenues: $31.31 billion
expenditures: $32.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2005 est.) |
Capital | Hamilton | - |
Climate | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter | subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall |
Coastline | 103 km | 733 km |
Constitution | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 | Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK |
Currency | Bermudian dollar (BMD) | - |
Death rate | 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $145 million (FY99/00) | $72.04 billion (2005 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | special administrative region of China |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
Economy - overview | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable. | Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late 2003 through 2005. |
Electricity - consumption | 553.35 million kWh (2000) | 39.22 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 3.086 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 9.84 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - production | 595 million kWh (2000) | 37.3 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
Environment - current issues | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development | air and water pollution from rapid urbanization |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Marine Dumping (associate member) |
Ethnic groups | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% | Chinese 95%, other 5% |
Exchange rates | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) | Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor |
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005) cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15 non-official members elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005; Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25 May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005 and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected on 16 June 2005 to fill final two years of TUNG's term (next election to be held in March 2007) |
Exports | $51 million (2000) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | reexports of pharmaceuticals | electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material |
Exports - partners | EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999) | China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (1995 est.) |
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 9.2% services: 90.6% (2005 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.9% (2001 est.) | 7.3% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 20 N, 64 45 W | 22 15 N, 114 10 E |
Geography - note | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 | more than 200 islands |
Heliports | - | 3 (2006) |
Highways | total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people |
Imports | $719 million (2000) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals | raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported) |
Imports - partners | EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia 14.6% (1999) | China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US 5.1%, South Korea 4.4% (2005) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | -0.6% (2005 est.) |
Industries | tourism, international business, light manufacturing | textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks |
Infant mortality rate | 9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (July 2001) | 0.9% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC | APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 20 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 20 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts | Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | 37,472 (2000) | 3.61 million (October 2005) |
Labor force - by occupation | clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.) | manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.6%, transport and communications 7.1%, community and social services 18.8%
note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Portuguese | Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official |
Legal system | English law | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last general election 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 |
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; non-voting LEGCO president 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.3 years
male: 75.21 years female: 79.27 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 81.59 years
male: 78.9 years female: 84.5 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002) |
Location | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | North America | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT
ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.) |
total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/51,957,682 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8 foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274, Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea 6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1, Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 21) registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10, Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37, Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169, Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50, Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of China |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary | no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4,027,970 (January 2002) | Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.11% (FY00/01) | NA |
National holiday | Bermuda Day, 24 May | National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
Nationality | noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (June to November) | occasional typhoons |
Natural resources | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism | outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar |
Net migration rate | 2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT] | Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] | Article 45 Concern Group (pro-democracy); Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member] |
Population | 63,960 (July 2002 est.) | 6,940,432 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.69% (2002 est.) | 0.59% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 82,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% | eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe |
Telephones - main lines in use | 52,000 (1997) | 3,794,600 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 7,980 (1996) | 8.693 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (1997) | 55 low power stations
note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006) |
Terrain | low hills separated by fertile depressions | hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north |
Total fertility rate | 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.5% (1993) | 5.5% (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |