Patrick Block, age 12, of White Plains, N.Y., for his question:
WHERE ARE THE BERMUDA ISLANDS?
The Bermuda Islands, or simply Bermuda as the self governing dependency of Great Britain is called, is in the North Atlantic Ocean to the east of Cape Hatteras, N.C. There are about 200 islands, of which about only 20 are inhabited. Most are just islets or large rocks.
The islands actually make up the most northerly group of coral islands in the world. They are halfway between Nova Scotia and the West Indies and about 670 miles from New York City.
Only six of the islands have any great value: Bermuda, Somerset, Ireland, Saint George's, Saint David's and Boaz. Bermuda is also called Main Island and Great Bermuda. The total area of all of the islands in the group is 53 square miles.
The island of Bermuda occupies about two thirds of the total land area. Hamilton, the capital and chief town and port, is on this island.
The islands are on a base of volcanic rock. They are enclosed on the northwest and south by underwater reefs. The islands are separated from each other by narrow channels. There are a number of coral lagoons, or sounds. The most important are Castle Harbor and Harrington Sound.
The islands are made up of rolling hills that go as high as 260 feet above sea level.
The population of Bermuda is about 60,000, with blacks making up about half of the total. All children between the ages of 5 and 15 must attend the free public schools. There are also a number of private schools. Bermuda College, in Hamilton, offers higher education to those who want it.
There is no fresh surface water or wells on any of the islands. All of Bermuda must depend on the rain for fresh water. Most rooftops serve as collecting stations for the rainwater, which then goes into storage tanks. Each year about 60 inches of rain falls.
Bermuda's temperature is extremely mild, averaging about 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and about 75 in the summer. Influencing the weather is the warm, Gulf Stream.
Almost all of the buildings on the islands are made of limestone. The roofs are kept spotlessly clean and whitewashed as a way of assuring purity in the rainwater that is collected.
Some of the water tanks are located under the houses while others are outside. In the outside tanks, along with the rainwater, there are usually many small fish that are supplied by the government as a way of helping to control the mosquito problem.
Bermuda's mild climate along with the picturesque countryside combine to make the islands very popular with tourists. The No. 1 industry of Bermuda and the major source of income, as a matter of fact, is the tourist industry.
More than 100,000 visitors come to Bermuda each year and they enjoy relaxing with fishing, sailing, tennis, golf and bicycling.