Bermuda or Bermuda - the 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 the UK. The archipelago includes 157 islands, only 20 of which are inhabited. Bermuda attracts tourists from all over the world with its bright colors of local landscapes and clear water. Today we will get acquainted with the history of Bermuda and understand what they are from the point of view of geography, economics and tourism.
History
Having learned who discovered Bermuda, you can understand who they owe their name to. 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 pretend to them.
After some time, these Bermuda discovered the British Admiral George Somers. Due to damage to the ship on the reefs, he had to land. After exploring the area, the sailor concluded that it is quite suitable for life. So Bermuda began to belong to the UK.
Despite the fact that the first English settlement appeared here in 1609, they were declared the official possession of England only in 1684. Until 1838, the economic development of Bermuda was accompanied by the importation of slaves of African American descent. At the end of the XIX century, the main income here was the service of tourists.
In 1941, the British government leased America a Bermuda area of 6 km² for a period of 100 years. The United States intended to equip a military base on it. But in 1995, the use of the site was prematurely discontinued.
In 1968, Bermuda adopted the Constitution, according to which they have internal self-government.
Geography
The first step is to clarify where are Bermuda. They are located in the North Atlantic, 1770 kilometers northeast of Miami (Florida) and 1350 kilometers south of Halifax (Nova Scotia). The closest point on the continent (1030 km) is Cape Hatteras (North Carolina). That is why, having learned where Bermuda is located, many attribute them to America.
The islands are of volcanic origin and are located in the western part of the Mid-Atlantic underwater ridge. Southwest of them are two more seamounts that support coral reefs. Despite the fact that the archipelago was formed on a volcanic base, limestone caps, which appeared as a result of the activity of bacteria, played an important role in its formation.
The complex of islands also includes a line of underwater reefs, which 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. Humidity on 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 like 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. Bermuda's only endemic is the mountain lizard. She lived here long before the appearance of people.
The main island (Main Island) has a predominantly hilly terrain (maximum height - 76 m) and a rather rugged coastline, with a large number of sandy beaches and bays. About 35% of the territory is occupied by shrubs that grow on hills. In the lowlands, on fertile soils, cultivated plants are grown. There are no rivers, streams or lakes on the islands.
During the year, up to 1000 millimeters of rain falls in Bermuda, and as such, there is no rainy season.
Time in Bermuda is -4 hours away from Greenwich. 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 on average 77.2 years, and women - 83.7 years. Ethnic-racial composition of the archipelago: 54% - Negroids, 31% - White, 8% - Mulattos, 4% - Asians, 3% - Others.
From the point of view 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.
The history of many Bermuda residents traces the genealogy of Native Americans. Some ancestors came here from Mexico. Someone was sold into slavery or exiled from New England in the XVII century.
Citizens of other states live and work on the archipelago. Most of them can be found in the financial sector and specialized processions. These are mainly residents of the UK, America, Canada, and the West Indies. According to 2005 data, the total labor force 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 annually, 90% of which are residents of the United States. You can get to Bermuda using a ship or plane.
Only 17% of the working population of Bermuda 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. In Bermuda, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, bananas are grown. There is also developed fishing (annual catch is about 800 tons) and floriculture, which focuses on exports.
About 80% of food is brought to the archipelago from abroad. Fuel, household goods, clothing and building materials are also supplied here.
The main partner of Bermuda 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, such a distribution of foreign policy contacts is paradoxical.
The average per capita income on the islands is higher than in America by about 50%. In terms of GDP, the region is one of the world leaders. Housing prices here are very high, since the archipelago has long attracted the attention of the world elite.
Low direct taxes on personal and corporate income have contributed to the fact that Bermuda has become one of the world's offshore centers. They have a developed economy and are an exporter of a wide range of financial services (investment funds, insurance, reinsurance, etc.).
Currency
The Bermuda dollar (100 cents or coins of Bermuda) is equal to the American dollar. Both currencies can be easily paid at local points of sale. 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 import money into Bermuda is to buy traveller's checks in US dollars.
There is no sales tax on the islands of the archipelago, but all who leave the region are charged $ 20. In most local restaurants, the cost of service (on average, 15% of the total) is automatically included in the bill. There is no need to pay tips to the staff of local hotels here, as they are also taken into account when paying for a room. Porters of the local airport 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 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 bit later, a Catholic cathedral was also erected here.
The city belongs to Pembroke County. It received its name in honor of Henry Hamilton, who served as governor of Bermuda from 1778 to 1794. Today, the capital of the archipelago is its only city and the center of concentration of most institutions, both governmental and commercial.
Hamilton's center is located on Front Street, which extends along the coast of the main island's harbor. You can get around the sights of the city in just a couple of hours. The Hamilton Archipelago is connected by ferry services to other islands.
National symbolism
The flag of Bermuda was adopted in 1910 and slightly modified in 1967 and 1999. The flags of all overseas territories of Great Britain are based on the blue English stern banner. In Bermuda, this practice was not applied. The flag of Bermuda is represented by the red English sea trade banner, in the lower right part of which there is a local emblem.
On the regional emblem is a lion holding a shield depicting the collapse of the frigate of the Virgin company Marine Fortune, which happened in 1609 near Bermuda. The ship's passengers 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 nations. The largest trace in it was left by Native Americans. Along with their customs, there are echoes of African, Irish, Spanish-Caribbean and Scottish customs, and this is far from all. In the 17th century, Anglo-Saxon culture became dominant. And immigration to Bermuda from the Portuguese Atlantic islands has led to the fact that a large part of the local population 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 World War II, Western Indians brought Calypso music to the archipelago, and in the late 70s, with the influx of Jamaican immigrants, the islands became embraced by love for reggae music.
Initially, the literature in Bermuda was not very rich and was limited to works commenting on the features of the archipelago. Only in the XX century., Books of local authors began to be published massively here, however, only a small part of this literature was fiction.
An important role in the culture of Bermuda is played by dances, especially the colorful Gombay. Over the years, such celebrities as Michael Douglas, Earl Camron, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diana Dill and others lived here. The paintings of a number of local artists are successfully sold around the world. Thus, the impressionist landscapes of Alfred Beardsay glorified him far beyond the borders of his homeland.
A popular activity among local artisans is carving various sculptures from cedar. Every year, on Easter, residents of the archipelago make and fly into the sky paper kites, which symbolize the rise of Christ.
Sport
One of the most popular leisure activities for the people of Bermuda is sports. For many locals, it has become the meaning of life. In the archipelago are engaged in cricket, golf, rugby, football, sports fishing, as well as horse and sailing. In 2007, the Bermuda cricket team took part in the World Cup.
Particular attention on the islands is given to golf. Tournaments and championships in this elite sport are often held here. The Bermuda Royal Golf Club enjoys immense popularity, which has at its disposal 16 first-class courses.
In 2006, a professional football team was formed on the islands that plays in United League games.
Bermuda Triangle
Speaking of Bermuda, one cannot ignore the famous Bermuda Triangle. This is the name of the Atlantic Ocean region, in which ships and aircraft supposedly disappear. The vertices of the conditional triangle are: Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. This area is also called diabolical.
To explain the facts of the disappearance of ships put forward many different hypotheses, ranging from specific weather conditions and ending with the activities of aliens. According to skeptics, ships and planes disappear in the specified area for natural reasons, and this does not happen more often than in other places of the Atlantic and the oceans as a whole. This opinion is officially held by the coast guard of America and the large insurance agency Lloyd's. One way or another, travelers are wary of the Bermuda Triangle. This, however, does not affect the popularity of Bermuda.
sights
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, on which there are interesting buildings made in the Victorian style with hanging verandas and wrought-iron fences.
Wildlife lovers are advised to visit the Pas la Ville Park, where you can not only stroll along the picturesque shady alleys, but also visit the local history museum. Those interested in painting should check out the Bermuda National Gallery. Well, architecture connoisseurs will be happy to visit Trinity Bridge Most Cathedral, the pentagonal Fort Hamilton, Fort Scar, Waterville, as well as the Senate and Assembly Buildings.