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Bermuda Island Information
Let me start with the location of Bermuda. It is a collection of islands located in the North Atlantic ocean and is some 640 miles (1,030 km) due east of Cape Hatteras (located on the coast of North Carolina of U.S.). Bermuda is not a single island, rather a string of some 180 islands and islets. Some of these islands are so tiny that they are fit only for birds' nests. The total area including all these tiny islands is little over 21 square miles.
Only about 20 of these Bermuda islands are inhabited and seven of the larger ones are joined by bridges and one by a Causeway to the main island of Bermuda.
Bermuda Island (Satellite Image)
Although the Bermuda island on most maps looks like a dot, as you take a closer view, the shape of the island is like that of a fish hook, bending near south-west end and the stem extending towards north-east.
Bermuda Island was created as a result of a volcanic eruption from the ocean floor many years back. From the sea floor up to 200 feet below the water surface, it's all volcanic rock. The remaining part of the island up to what you see above the surface is limestone rock that consists of seashells and corals. The highest point of Bermuda, called the Town Hill is about 260 feet above the sea level.
Well, Bermuda is the northern most point in the Atlantic ocean where coral reefs can be seen. These reefs formed by corals, grow from the bottom of the ocean. These reefs had posed major navigational hazards for the passing ships and had been responsible for many ships getting wrecked around the islands of Bermuda itself.
Check out Famous Bermuda Shipwrecks to know about many of such amazing stories of wrecked ships.
Now coming to Limestone rocks that formed the upper part of Bermuda islands, they have played an important part in the life of Bermudians. It's a rock that is naturally soft and can be easily cut with even saws. But it becomes hard with exposure to air. The white shiny roads in Bermuda are nothing but made of polished limestone. Even the houses of Bermuda have limestone roofs.
The white limestone roofs of the Bermuda houses serve an important purpose. There are no fresh water lakes or rivers in Bermuda. All houses have to generally store the rain water in an underground reservoir and use it as drinking water. The rainwater passes through the grooves of the limestone roofs, gets purified and then stored in the tank where further filtering takes place.
The pastel color houses in pink, yellow, blue and other rainbow colors, along with their shiny white roofs, English gardens, and lush landscapes of Bermuda is a sight that you seldom find anywhere else. Most of Bermuda is still residential.
Bermuda Houses
There are more than 200 species of birds that can be found in Bermuda. While there are some resident birds, most of them are migratory birds who land in Bermuda before their next flight across the Atlantic. Check out Birds in Bermuda to know about the different kinds of birds that you can see in the island, the migrations and the best bird watching locations in Bermuda.
Among the vegetation, you will find plenty of cedars, palms, mangroves and other trees. Among the flowers, Easter Lilies in Bermuda are quite famous. They are exported and also used in making perfumes in Bermuda. Other flowers like hibiscus and oleanders are also quite common in the island. Fruits like bananas and vegetables like the tomatoes, sweet potatoes and onions are grown in plenty in the island. UPDATES: Bermuda Onions are no longer grown commercially for exports.
Bermuda has been divided into 9 parishes or districts. Here is a Bermuda Island Map with links that will tell you all the stories of the parishes: Bermuda Parish Map
And there are many magnificent pink sandy beaches in Bermuda that offer 75 miles of dramatic coastline and several golf courses with spectacular settings.
It would not be complete without a mention of the lovely people & culture of Bermuda with their warmth and laid back style of life. Very courteous and helpful, the Bermudians with their ever smiling face add an inseparable dimension to the island's heritage.
No wonder over 600,000 tourists visit this island every year and inflate the resident population of Bermuda by about 10 times.
Finally, here are two links that explain:
Check out Bermuda History to know more about Bermuda and its rich history.
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