Everything you need to know about Bermuda: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more

Bermuda: The Oldest surviving British Overseas Territory

In the year 1505, Juan de Bermudez, a Spanish mariner was the first to discover the landmass of Bermuda. However, its first settlers were the British colonists who came to this area in the year 1609 and thereby, contributed towards the further development of the island. While in 1968, Bermuda was granted internal self-government after being a British territory since centuries. Bermuda is famous for the Bermuda Triangle (Devil's Triangle) in which a number of ships and aircrafts have been alleged to disappear. Bermuda is well known for its tourist attractions that include Fairmont Bay, Sonesta Beach, Southampton, Warwick and many more. Little wonder then tourism is one of Bermudian economy's main contributors. Besides this Bermuda is also one of the World's main offshore financial centers.

Bermuda fast-Facts:

• National Name: Bermuda
• Capital: Hamilton
• Total area : 21 sq mi (53.3 sq km)
• Population: 66,536 (2008 est.)
• Currency : Bermuda dollar
• Languages: English (official), Portuguese
• Ethnicity/ Races: black African 58%, white and other 42%
• Religion: Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)
• GDP (Per Capita): $36,000 (2004 est.)
• Life Expectancy: Male , 76.15 years, Female: 80.48 years (2008 est.)
• Literacy Rate: 99% (2005 est.)

Geography, Climate and Economy of Bermuda:

Bermuda's Geography is relatively diverse comprising volcanic mountain ranges and low hills covered with corals and demarcated by fertile plains. It largely consists of 150 islands, which are placed against the backdrop of the Carolina coast. These islands are situated at a height of 260 ft above the sea level surrounded by blue waters of Atlantic Ocean. The total area of its irrigated land is about 20% and about 50% of the land area is developed.

The climate of Bermuda is basically subtropical having mild temperatures ranging from 17 to 26 degree Celsius. The winters last from April to October, which is also a favourable time to visit this Bermuda. The winds blowing from the Ocean provide humidity and hence a constant mild climate.

Bermuda boasts of a substantial economy, which comprises of tourism, industry, agriculture and foreign business sectors. Mostly the agricultural products are imported which accounts to 80% of the island's need. The basic and readily available natural resource of Bermuda is limestone. Also, Bermuda is widely known as an international business center besides having a booming insurance sector.

Culture and Cuisine of Bermuda:

The Bermudian culture reflects the cultural influences of various ethnicities such as African, Asian, European and British. Britishers had largely influenced the islands indigenous culture as English is the basic and official language of this territory besides Portuguese. Gombey dance is the unique stylized dance of the Bermudian islanders representing African and British cultural mix. The architecture of the islands is distinct in its own way depicting their traditional heritage.

The Bermudian cuisine is largely flavoured. Fish forms an important part of their cuisine which is used in different varieties such as fish chowder, fried fish and codfish. A dish named Peas ?n' Rice is also famous and is also called Bermuda Hop ?n' John. The Bermudian desserts include banana crumble, loquat and fruits like cherries and strawberries.

Tourist Attractions in Bermuda:

Hamilton, the capital city of Bermuda is a major attraction for tourists worldwide. It is widely known for its crystal caves, which are in fact a stalagmite formed structures. Besides this, the Spicelands Riding Centre is yet another tourist stopover which guides the visitors for riding across scenic landscapes in Bermuda. Bermuda is also famous for its perfumes and gardens comprising a wide variety of exotic flowers. Bermuda offers many beautiful resorts such as the Southampton Beach Resort at Fairmont.

Some other Bermuda Tourist Sites are :

• Royal Navy Dockyard & Museum
• Flatts Village
• Hamilton
• Paget Marsh
• Somerset Island Area
• St George's Island
• Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute
• Elbow Beach