Bermuda

Familiar images of Bermuda include pink sand beaches, turquoise waters, beautiful pastel homes, onions, cricket, afternoon tea, and men in shorts. But contrary to popular belief, Bermuda is not a Caribbean tropical paradise. It is subtropical and situated in the northwest Atlantic about 817 kilometers (508 miles) due east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Bermuda is made up of six principal islands and more than 100 smaller islets.

Despite not being part of the Caribbean, Bermuda's weather is not hard to endure. Average summer highs are in the 23 to 27C range (70s and 80sF) with humidity 70% or higher – perfect for golfing, tennis, beach fun, and water sports. Winter temperatures range from 15 to 22C (60s to low 70sF), and though winters can be wet, the weather is still excellent for golf and tennis. Winter may be a bit cold for swimming – unless you're from Canada, the northern US, or northern Europe.

Bermuda was first discovered by the Spanish explorer Juan de Bermudez in 1503 but remained only a shipping landmark – and hazard, due to its surrounding reefs – until the British arrived in the 1600s. The first group of British, who arrived in 1609, were shipwrecked colonists on the way to Jamestown, Virginia. (This wreck, of the vessel Sea Venture, inspired Shakespeare to write The Tempest.) By 1612, Bermuda had its first permanent settlement, Saint George.

Bermuda is one of the oldest and smallest, and is the most populated, of the remaining British Overseas Territories. With a population of about 64,400 and only 54 square kilometers (21 square miles) to put them in, Bermuda is also one of the most densely populated places in the world, with almost 1,250 people per square kilometer – or per 0.39 square mile (Canada has about 3.6 people per square kilometer and the US has about 30 people per square kilometer).

Another interesting feature of Bermuda (although not directly) for those of us who are "unsolved mystery" and/or X-Files fans, is the infamous Bermuda Triangle. Bermuda is at the Triangle's northeast edge. (Please note that any gambling losses in Bermuda are not necessarily related to the Bermuda Triangle.)

Prices are high for many things in Bermuda due to import taxes and indirect taxes such as employment taxes, but because of the lucrative tourism and international financial services industries on the island, Bermuda has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. Bermuda Online calculates the cost of living as 3.8 times the cost of living in the US and 2.8 times the cost of living in Canada. But since the island has no income tax, no sales tax, no slums, no unemployment, no major crime problem, and great weather – there is a lot to recommend it!

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