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: Legislative branch: Judicial branch: Political parties and leaders: Political pressure groups and leaders: International organization participation: Diplomatic representation in the US: Diplomatic representation from the US: Flag description:
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
(For more information visit the )
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
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
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Kim SWAN]
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]
Caricom (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO, WFTU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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, 296-9233
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