rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications
Railroads: 578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track
Highways: 5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km improved earth
Inland waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports: Cotonou
Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) of 2,999 GRT/4,407 DWT
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 6 total, 5 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220–2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio relay; 16,200 telephones; stations—2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station
- Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower: eligible 15–49, 2,015,206; of the 950,921 males 15–49, 486,620 are fit for military service; of the 1,064,285 females 15–49, 537,049 are fit for military service; about 55,550 males and 53,663 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service
Defense expenditures: 1.7% of GDP, or $28.9 million (1988 est.)—————————————————————————— Country: Bermuda (dependent territory of the UK) - Geography Total area: 50 km2; land area: 50 km2
Comparative area: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 103 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 20% forest and woodland; 80% other
Environment: ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; consists of about 360 small coral islands
Note: 1,050 km east of North Carolina; some reclaimed land leased by US Government
- People
Population: 58,337 (July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)
Birth rate: 15 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Bermudian(s); adjective—Bermudian
Ethnic divisions: 61% black, 39% white and other
Religion: 37% Anglican, 14% Roman Catholic, 10% African Methodist
Episcopal (Zion), 6% Methodist, 5% Seventh-Day Adventist, 28% other
Language: English
Literacy: 98%
Labor force: 32,000; 25% clerical, 22% services, 21% laborers, 13% professional and technical, 10% administrative and managerial, 7% sales, 2% agriculture and fishing (1984)
Organized labor: 8,573 members (1985); largest union is Bermuda Industrial
Union
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: Hamilton
Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire,
Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys,
Smiths, Southampton, Warwick
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 8 June 1968
Legal system: English law
National holiday: Bermuda Day, 22 May
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, deputy governor, premier, deputy premier, Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or
Senate and a lower house or House of Assembly
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir Desmond LANGLEY (since NA October 1988);
Head of Government—Premier John William David SWAN (since NA January 1982)
Political parties and leaders: United Bermuda Party (UBP), John W. D.
Swan; Progressive Labor Party (PLP), Frederick Wade; National Liberal
Party (NLP), Gilbert Darrell
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: House of Assembly—last held 9 February 1989 (next to be held by February 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(40 total) UBP 23, PLP 15, NLP 1, other 1
Communists: negligible
Other political or pressure groups: Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU), headed by Ottiwell Simmons
Member of: INTERPOL, WHO
Diplomatic representation: as a dependent territory of the UK,
Bermuda's interests in the US are represented by the UK; US—Consul
General James M. MEDAS; Consulate General at Vallis Building,
Par-la-Ville Road (off Front Street West), Hamilton (mailing address is
