The World Factbook (1982)/Bermuda

by the Central Intelligence Agency

BERMUDA

(See reference map II)

LAND

54.4 km²; 8% arable, 60% forested, 21% built on, wasteland, and other, 11% leased for air and naval bases

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 3 nm (fishing 200 nm)

Coastline: 103 km

PEOPLE

Population: 72,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.6%

Nationality: noun—Bermudian(s); adjective—Bermudian

Ethnic divisions: approximately 61% black, 39% white

Religion: 37% Church of England, 19% other Protestant, 14% Catholic, 30% other

Language: English

Literacy: 98%

Labor force: 29,669 employed (1980)

GOVERNMENT

Official name: Bermuda

Type: British colony

Capital: Hamilton

Political subdivisions: 9 parishes

Legal system: English law

Branches: Executive Council (cabinet) appointed by governor, led by government leader; bicameral legislature with an appointed Legislative Council and a 40-member directly elected House of Assembly; Supreme Court

Government leaders: Governor Sir Richard POSNETT; Premier John William David SWAN

Suffrage: universal over age 21

Elections: at least once every five years; last general election, December 1980

Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party (UBP), J. David Gibbons; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Lois Browne-Evans

Voting strength (1980 elections): UBP 54%, PLP 46%; the UBP holds 22 House of Assembly seats, the PLP holds 18 seats

Communists: negligible

Other political or pressure groups: Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU) headed by Ottiwell Simmons

ECONOMY

GDP: $598 million (FY79/80), $10,894 per capita; real growth rate FY79/80, est. 3%

Agriculture: main products—bananas, vegetables, Easter lilies, dairy products, citrus fruits

Major industries: tourism, finance

Electric power: 110,000 kW capacity (1981); 355 million kWh produced (1981), 5,460 kWh per capita

Exports: $31 million (f.o.b., 1979); mostly reexports of drugs and bunker fuel

Imports: $234 million (f.o.b., 1979); fuel, foodstuffs, machinery

Major trade partners: imports, 50% US; tourists, 90% US

Aid: economic—bilateral commitments, including Ex-Im (1970-80), from US $34 million; from Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF (FY70-79), $109 million; no military aid

Budget: revenues, $132 million; expenditures $132 million; (FY81/82)

Monetary conversion rate: 1 Bermuda dollar=US$1

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

COMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: none

Highways: 190 km, all paved

Ports: 3 major (Hamilton, St. George Freeport, Ireland Island)

Civil air: 4 major transport aircraft

Airfields: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m

Telecommunications: modern telecom system, includes fully automatic telephone system with 39,500 sets (63.7 per 100 popl.); 3 AM, 1 FM, and 2 TV stations; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station