Bermuda
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Geography
Bermuda is one of the most geographically isolated places in the world. There are some 200 islands in Bermuda with a total area of 54 sq. km. Great Bermuda, the main island, is larger than the rest of the islands combined. Only about 20 of the islands are inhabited. Seven of these are connected by bridges and causeways. Bermuda is believed to rest on the peaks of a volcanic mountain rising steeply from the ocean bottom to about 60 meters below the surface. Above this level the islands consist mainly of limestone formed by sea shells and corals.

History
The Bermuda islands were sighted by a Spanish sea captain, Juan de Bermudez in 1503 after whom the island is named. However it was the British admiral Sir George Somers who established a claim to these islands in 1609. Three years later 60 settlers established a permanent colony on the islands. The shallow top soil limited agriculture and the lack of water prevented commercial crops like sugar cane from being introduced. The settlers soon became reliant on food imports from the American colonies.

Slaves were first introduced in 1616 most of them brought from Africa though some were American Indians. They lived in degrading conditions but were generally employed as domestic servants or trades people rather than agricultural laborers. When slavery was abolished 5000 of the 9000 people living in Bermuda were registered on the census as black or colored. In 1849 Portuguese agricultural workers were brought to Bermuda on contract. Throughout the rest of the century the Portuguese population grew with the overwhelming majority continuing to be engaged in subsistence farming.

Economy
Bermuda has one of the world's most unusual economies whose gross domestic product reached
US $7 billion in 1996. The major industries are tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals and ship repair. Bermuda's major trading partners are the US, Canada and the UK. Agriculture is severely limited to bananas, vegetables, citrus and dairy products. Construction spending more than tripled between 1995-97 reaching $ US 130 million in 1997 alone. There is no personal or income taxation in Bermuda nor are there any exchange controls. The offshore financial sector is extremely vibrant as is its tourism industry despite significant decline in the last decade.

People & Culture
About 60% of the population is black with a large Portuguese segment among others. The official language is English but some Portuguese is also spoken. "Slanguage," the local Bermudan dialect is spoken and understood by all. The main religious denominations are Anglicans. Roman Catholics and African Methodist Episcopal (Zion) with a small percentage of Methodists and Seventh day Adventists.

The two dominant cultures in Bermuda are native Bermudan and colonial Bermudan. Bermuda's most well-known cultural icon, the Gombey, was also born out of the separation of white and black cultures in Bermuda. Gombeys are a group of dancers in costumes which have strong links to Africa. Their distinctive costumes and aggressive dancing combined with their authentic African drumming have in the past been a source of fear for white Bermudans. Today the Gombey is celebrated in many major events by all races.