Bermuda was discovered in the early 1500s by the Spanish explorer Juan de Bermudez. The Bermuda islands were then used by the Spanish and the Portuguese, but there were no permanent settlements. It then came under the English rule, followed by the Somers Isles Company. The Bermudians were made to cultivate tobacco to gain extra income from the land.
Bermuda’s culture is a combination of various native-American, African, Spanish and Irish Gaelic cultures. There are traces of British and Afro-Caribbean influences. Immigration from the West Indies brought about strong cultural and political changes. Musicians from West Indies established Calypso music in Bermuda. Reggae, another form of music, is equally popular among the natives and foreign tourists. Bermuda is home to various types of dances introduced by Native American and African slaves.
Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda is situated at the east-south-eastern side of Cape Hatteras and the south-eastern part of Martha’s Vineyard. It is made up of around 138 islands, with all the major islands connected together by bridges. The islands consist of low hills separated by fertile depressions and waterways.
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