Bermuda (fully, The Bermuda Islands, alias The Somers Isles) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the North Atlantic Ocean, situated around 600 miles (975 km) off the coast of the United States. Although commonly referred to in the singular, it consists of around 138 islands, of total area 58.8 square kilometres (27.7 sq. mi). Compiling a list of these islands is often complicated, as many have more than one name (as does the entire archipelago, which, in addition to its two official names, has historically been known as La Garza, Virgineola, and the Isle of Devils). Despite the limited land mass, there has also been a tendency for place names to be repeated (there are two Long Islands, for instance, and two Long Bays, and St. George's town is located on the island of the same name, within the parish also called St. George's). The largest island, Main Island (also called Bermuda, or Great Bermuda), is the location of the capital, the City of Hamilton (which is in Pembroke Parish, and is often confused with Hamilton Parish). Bermuda has a thriving economy, with a large financial sector and tourism industry.
Crawl Hamilton Paget Pembroke Somerset Village Southampton Warwick
Bermuda is located in the North Atlantic Ocean roughly 580 nautical miles (1074 kilometers) east-southeast of Cape Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and roughly 590 nautical miles (1093 kilometers) southeast of Martha's Vineyard. There are two incorporated municipalities in Bermuda; the City of Hamilton, and the Town of St. George. There are also a number of localities which are sometimes termed villages, among them Flatts Village, Tucker's Town and Somerset Village.
Contrary to common misconception, Bermuda is not located within the tropics. The subtropical, or warm temperate, climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream. Bermuda has a very humid climate and, as a result, the summer-time heat index can be very high, even when the actual temperature seems moderate. Winters can get decidedly chilly, and the powerful winds and heavy rain mean that the felt temperature can fall below freezing, even though the actual temperature may rarely drop much below 10° C. There are no sources of fresh water in Bermuda; all water has to be collected from rainfall and kept in cisterns.
Bermuda's culture is strongly influenced by the British colonists who came to the island and the Americans who are the closest country geographically. While many traditions and customs of the island are largely British, the influence of the U.S. is undeniable. Bermuda's population is also made up of a large number of people who have descended from the African slaves.
Dance and music are two of the most important elements of the unique culture that makes up Bermuda. Many dances were influenced by the local Native American tribes or by those of the African slaves. Caribbean influences dominate the musical scene on the island.
There are several dishes served on Bermuda that are unique to the island, and that offer a taste of traditional Bermudian culture. Fish is one of the main ingredients in Bermudian cuisine, and is used in dishes like fish chowder, panfried fish, and also codfish and potato, a traditional dish in Bermuda (usually served on Sunday with a tomato sauce and olive oil). There is a dish called Peas 'n' Rice, formally called Bermuda Hop 'n' John. There are also several dessert dishes that are made on Bermuda including loquat, or banana crumble and desserts made from seasonal strawberries and cherries.
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Subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter.* This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Source wikipedia.
