Paracel Islands (2003) | Bermuda (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,146/female 6,098)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,562/female 22,954) 65 years and over: 12.2% (male 3,479/female 4,534) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 1 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about one-third the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. | 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. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue. |
Birth rate | - | 11.4 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $738 million
expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05) |
Capital | - | name: Hamilton
geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 46 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | tropical | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter |
Coastline | 518 km | 103 km |
Constitution | - | 8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
Death rate | - | 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $160 million (FY99/00) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
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, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following 11 September 2001 and again after Hurricane Katrina, 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 but remains the island's number two industry. 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 with only 20% of the land being arable. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 616.7 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 682.5 million kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | sustainable development |
Ethnic groups | - | black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census) |
Exchange rates | - | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
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 Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX 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 |
Exports | - | 0 bbl/day NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | - | reexports of pharmaceuticals |
Exports - partners | - | France 65.6%, Spain 11.7%, US 4.5% (2005) |
Fiscal year | - | 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 |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 4.6% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 32 20 N, 64 45 W |
Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | 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 |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | - | clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
Imports - partners | - | Kazakhstan 51%, France 19%, South Korea 10.2%, US 7.6% (2005) |
Independence | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | international business, tourism, light manufacturing |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.8% (November 2005) |
International organization participation | - | Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts |
Labor force | - | 38,360 (2004) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005) |
Languages | - | English (official), Portuguese |
Legal system | - | English 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 not later than July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 77.96 years
male: 75.85 years female: 80.1 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (2005 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US) |
Map references | Southeast Asia | North America |
Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,873,728 GRT/8,688,692 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 1, container 24, liquefied gas 23, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 116 (Australia 3, Belgium 4, France 1, Germany 21, Greece 2, Hong Kong 10, Indonesia 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Monaco 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, Switzerland 2, UK 9, US 27) registered in other countries: 6 (Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 1) (2006) |
Military - note | occupied by China | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $4.03 million (2001) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.11% (FY00/01) |
National holiday | - | Bermuda Day, 24 May |
Nationality | - | noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
Natural hazards | typhoons | hurricanes (June to November) |
Natural resources | none | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism |
Net migration rate | - | 2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT] |
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] |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.) |
65,773 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 19% (2000) |
Population growth rate | - | 0.61% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | - |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
Religions | - | Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 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 (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: good
domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic trunk lines international: country code - 1-441; submarine cables - 3 (fiber optic); satellite earth stations - 3 (2005) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 56,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 49,000 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 3 (2005) |
Terrain | mostly low and flat | low hills separated by fertile depressions |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 2.1% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |