Bermuda (2005) | Estonia (2002) | |
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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 | 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.9% (male 6,177/female 6,154)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,422/female 22,828) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,378/female 4,406) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 16.4% (male 118,603; female 114,102)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 466,882; female 502,343) 65 years and over: 15.1% (male 70,085; female 143,666) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products | potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 32 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 6 (2002) |
Area | total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km water: 2,015 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea |
Area - comparative | about one-third the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined |
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. | After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. |
Birth rate | 11.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 8.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $671.1 million
expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55 million (FY03/04) |
revenues: $1.89 billion
expenditures: $1.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
Capital | Hamilton | Tallinn |
Climate | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter | maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers |
Coastline | 103 km | 3,794 km |
Constitution | 8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003 | adopted 28 June 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic |
Currency | - | Estonian kroon (EEK) |
Death rate | 7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 13.44 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $160 million (FY99/00) | $3.3 billion (2001 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
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: Ambassador Joseph M. DeTHOMAS
embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Sven JURGENSON
chancery: 1730 M Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | Russia continues to reject signing and ratifying the joint December 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $108 million (2000) |
Economy - overview | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, nearly 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 2002-04. 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 20% of the land being arable. | Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization, is steadily moving toward a modern market economy with increasing ties to the West, including the pegging of its currency to the euro. A major goal is accession to the EU, possibly by 2004. The state of the economy is greatly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The trade deficit is a negative factor, whereas the internal government surplus is a plus. |
Electricity - consumption | 598 million kWh (2002) | 5.362 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 1.2 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 643 million kWh (2002) | 7.056 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m |
Environment - current issues | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development | air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 4.6 times smaller than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies fell 20 times in 2000 compared to 1980; in connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census) | Estonian 65.3%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Belarusian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.6% (1998) |
Exchange rates | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) | krooni per US dollar - 17.518 (January 2002), 17.538 (2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997); note - the kroon is tied to the euro at a fixed rate of 15.65 krooni per euro |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)
head of government: Premier William Alexander 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 Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Siim KALLAS (since 28 January 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September 2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 188 votes to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 24 ballots were either left blank or invalid |
Exports | NA | $3.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
Exports - commodities | reexports of pharmaceuticals | machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) |
Exports - partners | France 73.2%, UK 6.2%, Spain 2.4% (2004) | Finland 33.8%, Sweden 14%, Latvia 6.9%, Germany 6.9%, UK 4.2 (2001) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 | pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $15.2 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 29% services: 66% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,900 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2003 est.) | 4.4% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 20 N, 64 45 W | 59 00 N, 26 00 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 | the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands |
Highways | total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
total: 30,300 km
paved: 29,200 km (including 75 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather unpaved: 1,100 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 30% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking |
Imports | NA | $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals | machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) |
Imports - partners | Kazakhstan 39.2%, France 16.2%, Japan 13.1%, Italy 9.2%, South Korea 8.8%, US 6.4% (2004) | Finland 18%, Germany 11%, Sweden 9%, China 9%, Russia 8% (2001) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, international business, light manufacturing | engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; services; transit, information technology, telecommunications |
Infant mortality rate | total: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (mid-2003 est.) | 3.7% (2002) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO, Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force | BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 38 (2001) |
Irrigated land | NA | 40 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts | National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life) |
Labor force | 37,470 (2000) | 608,600 (2001 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.) | industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001) |
arable land: 26.5%
permanent crops: 0.35% other: 73.15% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Portuguese | Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other |
Legal system | English law | based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts |
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 July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14 |
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party Moodukad 6 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.79 years
male: 75.7 years female: 79.91 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 70.02 years
male: 64.03 years female: 76.31 years (2002 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 can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1998 est.) |
Location | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US) | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia |
Map references | North America | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 108 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 6, container 22, liquefied gas 13, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 103 (Australia 2, Canada 20, Finland 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 5, Indonesia 1, Nigeria 8, Norway 5, Sweden 9, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 27, United States 20) registered in other countries: 1 (2005) |
total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 245,958 GRT/193,042 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 13, container 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 6 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Liberia 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | Bermuda Regiment | Estonia Defense Forces (including Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force), Republic Security Forces (internal and border troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border Guard, Coast Guard
note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian Navy in wartime |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $4.03 million (2001) | $155 million (2002 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.11% (FY00/01) | 2% (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 359,902 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 282,716 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 11,164 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Bermuda Day, 24 May | Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 20 August 1991 was the date of reindependence from the Soviet Union |
Nationality | noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (June to November) | sometimes flooding occurs in the spring |
Natural resources | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism | oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud |
Net migration rate | 2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | natural gas 2,000 km (2002) |
Political parties and leaders | Progressive Labor Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant GIBBONS] | Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahsaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Siim KALLAS]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP; Moderates (Moodukad) [Ivari PADAR]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit League) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica [Juhan Parts]; Russian Baltic Party [Sergei IVANOV] |
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] | NA |
Population | 65,365 (July 2005 est.) | 1,415,681 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 19% (2000) | NA% (2000) |
Population growth rate | 0.64% (2005 est.) | -0.52% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamilton, Saint George | Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Radios | - | 1.01 million (1997) |
Railways | - | total: 968 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines
broad gauge: 968 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2001) |
Religions | Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census) | Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish |
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 (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens |
Telephone system | general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines international: country code - 1-441; 3 fiber optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; internet services are available throughout most of the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by September 2000
domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and internet services is available throughout the country international: fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 56,000 (2002) | 501,691 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 37,873 (2003) | 711,000 (yearend 2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (2004) | 3 (2001) |
Terrain | low hills separated by fertile depressions | marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south |
Total fertility rate | 1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.24 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 5% (2002 est.) | 12.4% (2001) |
Waterways | - | 320 km (perennially navigable) (2002) |