|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands
|
|
Dependency status:
|
overseas territory of the UK
|
|
Government type:
|
parliamentary; self-governing territory
|
|
Capital:
|
name: Hamilton
geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 47 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
|
|
Administrative divisions:
|
9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick
|
|
Independence:
|
none (overseas territory of the UK)
|
|
National holiday:
|
Bermuda Day, 24 May
|
|
Constitution:
|
8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003
|
|
Legal system:
|
English law
|
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Richard GOZNEY (since 12 December 2007)
head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
|
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 18 December 2007 (next to be held not later than 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 52.5%, UBP 47.3%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14
|
|
Judicial branch:
|
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
|
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]
|
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
|
|
International organization participation:
|
Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO, WFTU
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
none (overseas territory of the UK)
|
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233
|
|
Flag description:
|
red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
|
