Bermuda Fact File

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Facts about Bermuda Bermuda is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, positioned at 32.17 degrees latitude, 65 degrees longitude. Contrary to popular belief, Bermuda is not in the Caribbean, but is actually 940 miles from Nassau, Bahamas. The size of Bermuda is about one-third the size of Washington, DC and consists of 138 coral islands and islets (though the exact amount can differ per information source). From above (satellite pictures) the islands resemble a fishhook The first person to set foot on the islands (reputedly) was Spanish navigator Juan de Bermúdez. Despite visits by the Spanish and the English, the islands remained uninhabited due to superstition of dwelling spirits and demons. Bermuda was first settled in 1609 when Admiral Sir George Somers survived a shipwreck on the reefs off the shores of Bermuda and established a British claim to it. This incident was known to Shakespeare when he wrote ‘The Tempest’. The islands were named after Sir George Somers as Bermuda was also known as Somers Islands and the first capital used to be St. George’s. St. George’s has been named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Hamilton became the capital in 1815.

In 1684 Bermuda became a British Colony and is today the oldest British Colony. It has the second oldest parliamentary democracy in the world (after England). It is an overseas territory of the UK, with an internal self-government. Bermuda’s legal and legislative bodies are fashioned after Great Britain’s – the custom of wearing wigs and gowns for official occasions is still practiced. The chief of the state of Bermuda is the monarch of the UK and is represented by a governor in Bermuda. In 1973 the governor (Sir Richard Sharples) and his aide-de-camp were assassinated. Tourism to the island first developed in Victorian times, when people sought a way to escape the very cold North American winters. Tourism remains today a very important factor to the islands’ economy, even though international business has overtaken it in the recent years. In 1995 a referendum on independence from the UK was clearly defeated, yet today independence is still under discussion in Bermuda as the present government reopened debate on the issue. In 2002 the Bermudans were granted a full British citizenship by the British Overseas Territories Act. Over 60% of the inhabitants of Bermuda are of African ancestry, descended from the slaves brought to the islands during the 18th century. In 1807 the Abolition of the Slave Trade act prohibited the slave trade within the British Empire. Yet the slaves in the British Colonies didn’t gain their freedom until the 1830s. In 1833 the process leading to emancipation began with The Abolition of Slavery Act. Today among the inhabitants there is also a sizable population of British descent. The main language is English although some Portugese is also spoken. The main religions are Anglican, Roman Catholic and African Methodist Episcopal churches. On the island the local currency is the Bermudan Dollar. It is pegged to the US Dollar but is not exportable, not cashable or exchangeable by any foreign bank and only in use by local citizens and residents. International companies based in Bermuda all use US Dollars. Visitors using an ATM card in Bermuda to get money receive only Bermudan dollars which they cannot use in any other country except Bermuda. It is therefore advisable to only bring US dollars when you go to Bermuda as they are freely accepted and are officially at par everywhere. Bermuda is probably most famous for the Bermuda Triangle (also called the Devil’s Triangle), a triangular area in the Atlantic which is said to be responsible for mysterious shipwrecks, disappearances and air crashes. The triangle is formed by Bermuda, Miami/Florida and San Juan/ Puerto Rico. Not only is Bermuda famous for the Bermuda Triangle, just think about Bermuda shorts, a garment inspired by the British military uniform and suited for hot climates. An amusing local myth tells the story of how the owner of the islands buried his heart in the sands of the shores and is now believed to be the ghostly kidnapper of over 20 people who vanished without a trace!