Bermuda

Basic Data

Bermuda, which lies east of North Carolina in the North Atlantic Ocean, was settled in 1609 when a group of English colonists shipwrecked there on the way to Virginia. Today the country is still linked with Great Britain, as a self-governing overseas territory. A referendum on independence was defeated in 1995, and the chief of state remains the British monarch, represented locally by a Governor. Presiding over a bicameral Parliament with an appointed Senate and an elected House of Assembly is the Premier, usually the majority leader of Parliament. The population of Bermuda is approximately 65,000, and the literacy rate is 98 percent. The official language of Bermuda is English, but Portugese is also spoken. Bermudians have one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world thanks to an economy based on financial services and luxury tourism.

Bermuda's newspapers are independent, but the government retains controls over broadcasting content. Tobacco ads are banned on television and radio, and there are restrictions on alcohol advertising. In 2002, the adoption of a "minimum local content" law for broadcasts was being debated. Bermuda's publishing hub is the capital city of Hamilton, and all major newspapers are printed in English. Bermuda's only daily newspaper is The Royal Gazette. Founded in 1828, the independent Royal Gazette publishes every day but Sunday and public holidays and claims to reach more than 90 percent of the adult market with its circulation of 16,000 and its online edition. The Mid-Ocean News publishes on Friday. Although it is the sister publication of The Royal Gazette, it maintains editorial independence. The Bermuda Sun, which publishes on Wednesday and Friday and maintains an online edition, has a reported circulation of 12,300 and publishes the island's official government and legal notices. Prior to March 2001, the Sun was known as the Official Gazette.

There are eight radio stations, five AM and three FM, broadcasting to 82,000 radios. Bermuda has three television stations serving approximately 66,000 televisions. There are 20 Internet service providers.