General Information

View of a Bermuda beach

Bermuda is the most northerly group of coral islands in the world, lying just beyond the Gulf Stream some 650 miles off the coast of the Carolinas.  Although very small, only 21 square miles, it offers a wide variety of places to see, people to meet, and things to do.

With an economy based on international business and tourism, Bermudians enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world, with only 3 percent unemployment, no sales tax, and no income tax. They do face, however, a high cost of living and an increasing share of the stress associated with maintaining the lifestyle of an economically developed western society.

Visit Hamilton, the capital, with its smart shops and busy traffic, or St. George's, the only other municipality on the island and a World Heritage Site, with its Old World lanes and fortresses.  You can sightsee from the North Shore, with its bizarre rock formations, to the South Shore with its pink and white beaches.  From end to end, Bermuda is picturesque.  Nature has endowed it with an abundance of verdant trees and colorful flowers.  The landscape is dotted with pastel-hued, white-roofed houses, stately hotels, and cottage colonies.  No factories, billboards, or neon signs blot the quaint scenery.

In addition to the pleasant and hospitable Bermudians, the island is home to more recent arrivals from around the world. Thousands of Americans, British, and Canadians live on the island all or part of the year.  There is also a large and long-settled Portuguese community, and many residents and workers from the West Indies.  A constant stream of tourists from the United States and around the world swells population numbers on a daily basis.

Bermuda offers many things to do. For recreation, Bermuda offers a host of outdoor sports including golf, tennis, fishing, sailing, diving, and swimming, as well as frequent cultural events such as movies, lectures, concerts, and theater productions.  Volunteer opportunities abound.

The island is small, but life – while confined – is varied.  The island is interesting, yet peaceful, and busy, though rarely hectic.

For further information about Bermuda please visit the island's official tourism website or Travel.State.gov's Country Specific Information for Bermuda.