none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; governor invites leader of largest party in Parliament to form a government as premier
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
Political parties and leaders: National Liberal Party or NLP
[Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer
SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Pamela GORDON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Industrial Union or
BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA
[Betty CHRISTOPHER]
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CCC,
ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the
UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul
General Lawrence D. OWEN
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520–5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295–1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295–1592
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
Bermuda Economy
Economy - overview: Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, having successfully exploited its location by providing financial services for international firms and luxury tourist facilities for 360,000 visitors annually. The tourist industry, which accounts for an estimated 28% of GDP, attracts 84% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs are imported. International business contributes over 60% of Bermuda's economic output; a failed independence vote in late 1995 can be partially attributed to Bermudian fears of scaring away foreign firms. Government economic priorities are the further strengthening of the tourist and international financial sectors.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $33,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1%
industry: 10%
services: 89% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 35,296 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation: clerical 23%, services 22%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 12%, sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1996)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (1995)
Budget: revenues: $504.6 million
expenditures: $537 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY97/98)
Industries: tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 550 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 511.5 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products
Exports: $56 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners: UK 29.5%, US 9.8% (1997)
Imports: $739 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals
Imports - partners: US 34%, UK 9%, Mexico 8% (1997)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $27.9 million (1995)
Currency: Bermudian dollar (BMD)
Currency code: BMD
Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Bermuda Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 52,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,980 (1996)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system
international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 82,000 (1997)
Television broadcast
