Bermuda is hosting the 35th America's Cup which kicks off on 26 May. Here are some interesting facts about the beautiful country, known for its crystal clear sea, pink sandy beaches and the infamous Bermuda Triangle...
- Bermuda became a British colony in 1707. This makes the archipelago the oldest and most populated British Oversee Territory remaining.
- It’s close to the Northeast Coast of the US, approximately 1000 kilometres from North Carolina.
- Bermuda has over 60,000 residents, spread over 181 island and almost 21 square metre of land.
- May 24 is traditionally the day Bermudians first go swimming to celebrate the end of winter. Just in time for the America’s Cup qualifying on 26 May.
- The Gosling brothers, originally from Kent, perfected their Black Seal Rum in Bermuda in 1860. The two national drinks of Bermuda are, naturally, Dark ‘n’ Stormy and the Rum Swizzle.
- The archipelago is named after Juan de Bermudez who, in 1503, claimed the island for Spain. Interestingly, he never actually landed there but he made two visits to the archipelago and mapped the area.
- Bermuda’s capital, Hamilton, houses around 1/6 of the population.
- The first mention of the Bermuda triangle was in 1964. Also known as the Devil’s Triangle, this area in the northern tip of the country is famous because a number of aircraft and ships have gone missing.
- Bermuda used to be rife with piracy. Known by some as the ‘Isle of Devils’, it was a popular place with pirates who’d capture merchant ships who were making their way between Europe, the Caribbean and North America.
- The nation flag of Bermuda depicts the British ship Sea Venture, which sank when it was taking on water and was purposely driven onto Bermuda’s reef. The sinking of the ship, initiated the first British settlements in the archipelago.
- You can snorkel up to 7 miles offshore.
- The Bermudian dollar is the official currency, set at the same rate as the US dollar.
- After English, the second most spoken language is Portuguese.
- The colonial town of St George is Bermuda’s largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also the oldest continuously inhabited English town in the Americas.
- Bermudians’ nickname is ‘Onions’. The reason for this is because the vegetable became very popular when the first English settlers introduced it to Bermuda in 1616. Onions then became the country’s major export and since the 19th century Bermudians have also become known as ‘Onions’ and Bermuda ‘the onion patch’.
- This is the first time that Bermuda is hosting the America’s Cup. There should be racing conditions 90% of the time and the America’s Cup Village at the Royal Naval Dockyard is the place to watch the action and enjoy the atmosphere.
