Bermuda or Bermuda is an overseas territory of Great Britain, which is located in the northwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean and is a large archipelago. It is noteworthy that these lands are closer to North America than to Great Britain. The archipelago includes 157 islands, only 20 of which are inhabited. Bermuda attracts tourists from all over the world with the bright colors of the local landscapes and the purest water. Today we will get acquainted with the history of Bermuda and figure out what they are in terms of geography, economy and tourism.
History
Having learned who discovered Bermuda, one can understand to whom they owe their name. The archipelago was discovered by the Spanish navigator, Captain Juande Bermudez. He saw the islands around 1503-1515 when they were still uninhabited and the Spaniards did not claim them.
Some time later these Bermudas were discovered by British Admiral George Somers. Due to damage to the ship on the reefs, he had to go ashore. Having studiedterrain, the sailor concluded that it is quite suitable for life. So Bermuda became British.
Despite the fact that the first English settlement appeared here in 1609, they were declared an official possession of England only in 1684. Up until 1838, the economic development of Bermuda was accompanied by the importation of slaves of African American origin. At the end of the 19th century, serving tourists became the main income here.
In 1941, the British government leased to America a 6 km² plot of Bermuda for a period of 100 years. The United States intended to equip it with a military base. But in 1995, the use of the site was terminated ahead of schedule.
In 1968, Bermuda adopted a constitution, according to which they have internal self-government.
Geography
The first step is to clarify where Bermuda is. They are located in the northern part of the Atlantic, 1770 kilometers northeast of Miami (Florida) and 1350 kilometers south of Halifax (Nova Scotia). The nearest point on the continent (1030 km) is Cape Hatteras (North Carolina). That is why, having learned where Bermuda is, many attribute them to America.
The islands are of volcanic origin and are located in the western part of the Mid-Atlantic submarine ridge. To the southwest of them are two more seamounts that support coral reefs. Despite the fact that the archipelago was formed on a volcanic base, an important role in its formation was played bylimestone caps that appeared as a result of the activity of bacteria.
The island complex also includes a line of underwater reefs that extends from it about 20 kilometers to the north. By the way, Bermuda is the only place in the North Atlantic where corals grow.
Bermuda has a mild subtropical climate, largely due to the influence of the warm Gulf Stream. The average temperature for the year here is 20-23 °C. The humidity in the archipelago is high and approximately the same in all its parts.
Due to the mild climate, the islands are very picturesque during the flowering period of hibiscus or oleander growing on them. And plants such as juniper and Bermuda cedar are on the verge of extinction. The fact is that they do not get along with insects brought to the region - moths and cicadas. Amphibians were also brought to the islands: all kinds of lizards, tree frogs and giant toads. The only endemic species of Bermuda is the mountain lizard. She lived here long before the appearance of people.
The main island (Maine Island) has a predominantly hilly terrain (maximum height - 76 m) and a rather indented coastline, with many sandy beaches and coves. About 35% of the territory is occupied by shrubs that grow on hills. In the lowlands, cultivated plants are grown on fertile soils. There are no rivers, streams or lakes on the islands.
During the year, up to 1000 millimeters of precipitation falls in Bermuda, and as such, the rainy seasonnot here.
Bermuda is off GMT by -4 hours. The local time zone is indicated as follows: UTC/GMT -4 hours.
Population
The population of Bermuda is about 65 thousand people. Local men live an average of 77.2 years, and women - 83.7 years. The ethno-racial composition of the archipelago: 54% - Negroids, 31% - whites, 8% - mulattoes, 4% - Asians, 3% - others.
In terms of religious preferences, the population is divided as follows: 2 3% - Anglicans, 15% - Catholics, 11% - African Methodist Bishops, 18% - other Protestants, 12% - other cults, 14% - atheists, 7% undecided.
Native American ancestry can be traced in the history of many Bermudians. Some of the ancestors came here from Mexico. Some were sold into slavery or exiled from New England as early as the 17th century.
Citizens of other states also live and work in the archipelago. Most of all they can be found in the financial sector and specialized processions. They are mainly residents of Great Britain, America, Canada, and the West Indies. According to 2005 data, the total workforce of the islands is 39 thousand people, of which about 11 thousand are visitors.
Economy
The main income (about 60% of foreign exchange earnings) Bermuda receives from foreign tourism. About 600 thousand people come here every year, 90% of which are US residents. You can get to Bermuda by ship or plane.
Only 17% of Bermuda's working population is employed in industry. In the region there are enterprises for the manufacture and repair of ships, as well as the production of pharmaceutical products, building materials and other things. The agricultural sector employs 3% of the working population. Potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, bananas are grown in Bermuda. Fishing is also developed here (the annual catch is about 800 tons) and floriculture, which is export-oriented.
About 80% of food is brought to the archipelago from abroad. Fuel, household goods, clothing and building materials are also supplied here.
Bermuda's main partner is South Korea (31.7%). It is followed by Italy (21.7%), America (14.9%), Great Britain (6.8%) and Singapore (4.4%). Given who owns Bermuda, this distribution of foreign policy contacts is paradoxical.
The average per capita income on the islands is about 50% higher than in America. In terms of GDP, the region is one of the world leaders. Housing prices here are very high, as the archipelago has long attracted the attention of the world's elite.
Low direct taxes on personal and corporate income have helped make Bermuda one of the world's offshore centers. They have a developed economy and act as an exporter of a wide range of financial services (investment funds, insurance, reinsurance, etc.).
Currency
Bermuda dollar (100 cents or coins of Bermuda) isAmerican dollar. Both currencies can be easily paid at local outlets. Other currencies are not accepted here, but there are a lot of exchange offices in the region. You can pay by credit card in almost all hotels, boarding houses, restaurants and shops. The most convenient way to bring money into Bermuda is to buy traveler's checks in US dollars.
There is no sales tax on the islands of the archipelago, but everyone who leaves the region is charged a fee of $20. In most local restaurants, the cost of service (on average, 15% of the total) is automatically included in the bill. You do not need to pay tips to the staff of local hotels here, as they are also taken into account when paying for the room. Local airport porters are usually given a few dollars as a tip, and taxi drivers - up to 15% of the cost of the trip.
Capital
The capital of Bermuda is the city of Hamilton. Its history began in 1790, when the local government reserved 145 acres for the residence. However, Hamilton became the official capital of Bermuda only in 1815, when the administrative center was moved from St. George. At that time, it was already a major trading hub. It was recognized as a full-fledged city even later - in 1897, after the construction of the Anglican Church in it. A little later, a Catholic cathedral was also erected here.
The city belongs to the district of Pembroke. It got its name in honor of Henry Hamilton, who served as governorBermuda from 1778 to 1794. Today, the archipelago's capital is its only city and home to most institutions, both government and commercial.
Hamilton's city center is located on Front Street, which runs along the harbor coast of the main island. You can get around the sights of the city in just a couple of hours. Ferries connect with other islands in the Hamilton archipelago.
National symbols
The flag of Bermuda was adopted in 1910 and changed slightly in 1967 and 1999. The flags of all overseas territories of Great Britain are based on the blue English ensign. In Bermuda, this practice was not applied. The flag of Bermuda is represented by the red English maritime trade banner, in the lower right part of which is the local coat of arms.
The region's coat of arms features a lion holding a shield depicting the wreck of the Virginia Company frigate Luck of the Sea in 1609 near Bermuda. The passengers of the ship escaped and founded the first settlement on the islands of the archipelago.
Culture
The culture of Bermuda is very rich and diverse, as it was formed from a mixture of cultures of different peoples. The Native Americans left the greatest trace in it. Along with their customs, there are echoes of African, Irish, Spanish-Caribbean and Scottish customs, and that's not all. In the 17th century Anglo-Saxon culture became predominant. And immigration to Bermuda from the Portuguese Atlantic Islands has led to the fact that a large part of the localpopulation speaks Portuguese.
In the XX century. there was a second wave of immigration from the English-speaking islands, which could not but affect the local culture. After the Second World War, Western Indians introduced calypso music to the archipelago, and in the late 70s, with the influx of Jamaican emigrants, the islands were embraced by a love of reggae music.
Initially, literature in Bermuda was not very rich and was limited to works commenting on the features of the archipelago. Only in the 20th century, books by local authors began to be massively published here, but only a small part of this literature was fiction.
An important role in the culture of Bermuda is played by dances, especially the colorful gombey. Here in different years lived such celebrities as: Michael Douglas, Earl Cameron, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diana Dill and others. Paintings by a number of local artists are successfully sold around the world. So, the impressionistic landscapes of Alfred Beardsey glorified him far beyond the borders of his homeland.
A popular pastime among local artisans is the carving of various cedar sculptures. Every year, on Easter, the inhabitants of the archipelago make and fly kites into the sky, which symbolize the rise of Christ.
Sports
One of the most popular leisure activities for the people of Bermuda is sports. For many local residents, it has become the meaning of life. Cricket, golf, rugby, football, sport fishing, as well as equestrian and sailing are practiced on the archipelago. In 2007, the Bermuda national teamcricket took part in the World Cup.
Particular attention is paid to golf on the islands. Tournaments and championships in this elite sport are often held here. The Royal Bermuda Golf Club, which has 16 first-class courses, is very popular.
In 2006, a professional football team was formed on the islands, which plays in the games of the United Leagues.
Bermuda Triangle
Speaking of Bermuda, one cannot ignore the famous Bermuda Triangle. This is the name of the area of the Atlantic Ocean, in which ships and aircraft allegedly disappear. The vertices of the conditional triangle are: Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. This area is also called the devilish one.
To explain the facts of the disappearance of ships, many different hypotheses have been put forward, ranging from specific weather conditions to the activity of aliens. According to skeptics, ships and planes disappear in this area for natural reasons, and this happens no more often than in other parts of the Atlantic and the world's oceans as a whole. This opinion is officially shared by the American Coast Guard and the major insurance agency Lloyd's. One way or another, travelers treat the Bermuda Triangle with caution. This, however, does not affect the popularity of Bermuda.
Attractions
The main attractions of the region are concentrated in Hamilton and St. George. Of particular interest among tourists are the narrow central streets of the capital,containing interesting Victorian buildings with hanging porches and wrought-iron fences.
Wildlife lovers are advised to visit the Pas-la-Ville park, where you can not only walk along the picturesque shady alleys, but also visit the local historical museum. Those who are interested in painting should look into the Bermuda National Gallery. Well, connoisseurs of architecture will be happy to see the Holy Trinity Bridge Cathedral, the pentagonal Fort Hamilton, Fort Scar, Waterville, as well as the buildings of the Senate and the Assembly House.
