Bermuda (2004) | Hong Kong (2004) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
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: 19.1% (male 6,192; female 6,186)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,268; female 22,703) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 3,295; female 4,291) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 14.2% (male 510,702; female 465,145)
15-64 years: 73.3% (male 2,461,914; female 2,560,382) 65 years and over: 12.5% (male 394,697; female 462,285) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products | fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 4 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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 | 11.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 7.23 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $671.1 million
expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55 million (FY03/04) |
revenues: $26.17 billion
expenditures: $32.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2003) |
Capital | Hamilton | - |
Climate | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter | tropical 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 and 2003 | 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) | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) |
Death rate | 7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $160 million (FY99/00) | $59.21 billion (2003 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | special administrative region of China |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 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 KEITH
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2524-0860 |
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, equal to that of the US. Its economy is 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 tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to travel. Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-03. 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, only 6% of the land being arable. | Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including reexports, 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 increased competitive pressure on Hong Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, but a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | 598.6 million kWh (2001) | 37.12 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 1.581 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 10.36 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 643.7 million kWh (2001) | 30.48 billion kWh (2001) |
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 - 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999) |
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 Alex SCOTT (since 24 July 2003); Deputy Premier Ewart BROWN 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 TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997) cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members and 14 official members; including Chief Secretary Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Henry TANG (since 2 August 2003), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997) elections: TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002 by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces; the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007 |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | reexports of pharmaceuticals | electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones |
Exports - partners | France 62%, Norway 13.8%, UK 7.5% (2003) | China 42.6%, US 18.7%, Japan 5.4% (2003) |
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 - $2.33 billion (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $213 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 12.1% services: 87.9% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28,800 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2003 est.) | 3.3% (2003 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 was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 | more than 200 islands |
Heliports | - | 2 (2003 est.) |
Highways | total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
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 a conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals | electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics; a large share is reexported |
Imports - partners | Kazakhstan 46.7%, France 32.5%, US 8.5% (2003) | China 43.5%, Japan 11.9%, Taiwan 6.9%, US 5.5%, Singapore 5%, South Korea 4.8% (2003) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | -9.2% (2003 est.) |
Industries | tourism, international business, light manufacturing | textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks |
Infant mortality rate | total: 8.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (mid-2003 est.) | -2.6% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO, Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force | APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO |
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 | 37,470 (2000) | 3.5 million (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, services 20% (2000 est.) | manufacturing 8.2%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.5%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.5%, transport and communications 7.8%, community and social services 17.8% (Note: above data exclude public sector) (2002 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001) |
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 (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held NA July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.6 years
male: 75.54 years female: 79.7 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 81.39 years
male: 78.72 years female: 84.3 years (2004 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 South Carolina (US) | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | North America | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 3 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782 DWT
by type: bulk 25, cargo 4, container 17, liquefied gas 9, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 3 foreign-owned: Croatia 5, Germany 2, Greece 21, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 33, United States 12 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 663 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical tanker 23, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 97, liquefied gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 1, China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany 14, Greece 4, India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2, Malaysia 3, Monaco 9, Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17, Singapore 22, Taiwan 3, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United States 1 registered in other countries: 569 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of China |
Military branches | Bermuda Regiment | no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including 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 | $4.03 million (2001) | Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.11% (FY00/01) | NA (FY02) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,878,574 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,404,705 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 41,821 (2004 est.) |
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 | 2.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Gombey Liberation Party or GLP [Gavin Sundjata SMITH]; National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant GIBBONS]; | Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party |
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] | Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (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]; The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member] |
Population | 64,935 (July 2004 est.) | 6,855,125 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 19% (2000) | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.68% (2004 est.) | 0.65% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard | Hong Kong |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% | eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 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 (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 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: good
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-441; 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 | 56,000 (2002) | 3,801,300 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 37,873 (2003) | 7,241,400 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (2003) | 4 (2004) |
Terrain | low hills separated by fertile depressions | hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north |
Total fertility rate | 1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 0.91 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 5% (2002 est.) | 7.9% (2003) |