Bermuda Government - 2024

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Bermuda

former: Somers Islands

etymology: the islands making up Bermuda are named after Juan de BERMUDEZ, an early 16th century Spanish sea captain and the first European explorer of the archipelago

Government type

Overseas Territory of the UK with limited self-government; parliamentary democracy

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

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

etymology: named after Henry HAMILTON (ca. 1734-1796) who served as governor of Bermuda from 1788-1794

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; note - formerly known as Victoria Day, Empire Day, and Commonwealth Day

Constitution

history: several previous (dating to 1684); latest entered into force 8 June 1968 (Bermuda Constitution Order 1968)

amendments: proposal procedure - NA; passage by an Order in Council in the UK; amended several times, last in 2012

Legal system

English common law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the UK

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Rena LALGIE (since 14 December 2020)

head of government: Premier David BURT (since 19 July 2017)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (11 seats; 3 members appointed by the governor, 5 by the premier, and 3 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms) 
House of Assembly (36 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve up to 5-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last appointments in 2022 (next appointments in 2027)
House of Assembly - last held on 1 October 2020 (next to be held by 2025)

election results: Senate - composition as of October 2023 - men 4, women 7, percent of women 63.6%
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - PLP 62.1%, OBA 32.3%, other 5.4%, independent 0.2%; seats by party - PLP 30, OBA 6; composition as of October 2023 - men 26, women 9, percent of women 25%; note - total Parliament percent of women as of September 2023 - 34%

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 justices); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, 4 puisne judges, and 1 associate justice); note - the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) is the court of final appeal

judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal justice appointed by the governor; justice tenure by individual appointment; Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission and appointed by the governor; judge tenure based on terms of appointment

subordinate courts: commercial court (began in 2006); magistrates' courts

Political parties and leaders

Free Democratic Movement or FDM [Marc A. R. BEAN]
One Bermuda Alliance or OBA [N. H. Cole SIMONS]
Progressive Labor Party or PLP [E. David BURT]

International organization participation

Caricom (associate), ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UPU, WCO

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Consul General Karen GRISSETTE (since 6 July 2021)

embassy: US Consulate Bermuda, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, DV 03, Bermuda

mailing address: 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300

telephone: (441) 295-1342

FAX: (441) 295-1592

email address and website:
HamiltonConsulate@state.gov

https://bm.usconsulate.gov/

consulate(s) general: 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DV O3

Flag description

red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (a white shield with a red lion standing on a green grassy field holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag; it was the shipwreck of the vessel, filled with English colonists originally bound for Virginia, that led to the settling of Bermuda

note: the flag is unusual in that it is only British overseas territory that uses a red ensign, all others use blue

National symbol(s)

red lion

Coat of arms of Bermuda:

National anthem

name: Hail to Bermuda

lyrics/music: Bette JOHNS

note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the UK entry

selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications