Berrio

Berrio (/bəɹɪʊ/) is a small island and Overseas Territory of Brunant in the Atlantic Ocean. Berrio has an area of 87 km2 and a population of 327, centered around Berrio Island was discovered in 1502 by Portuguese explorer Nicolau Coelho, who named the island after his ship, the Berrio. Brunanters were the first to settle the island in the 1840s and in 1856 Brunant purchased it from Portugal. Berrio was named an overseas territory in 1920.

Berrio is monolingually English-speaking, though the local vernacular employs some different words and locals have a unique accent.

History
The first landing on the island took place in 1504, but no major settlement there happened in the following centuries. After a brief British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, the island returned to Portugal. Brunanters were the first to successfully settle the island in the 1840s and in 1856 Brunant purchased it from Portugal.

Nicolas Coelho, a Portuguese explorer first set sight on the island in late 1502 aboard his ship Berrio, naming the island after it. The island was first set foot on in 1512. Some ten Portuguese settlers inhabited Berrio from 1710 to 1714, and from 1736 to 1757 there was Portuguese military presence on the island, housing abour 15 to 20 soldiers at any given time. In 1808, after the start of the Peninsular War, the ilsand was occupied by the British. In 1815 it was returned to Portugal.

A family of Brunanter adventurers were shipwrecked on the island in 1843, led by xx, setting sail from Portuguese Angola to Brazil. They managed to survive off of the local vegetation and birds until being rescued by a passing American ship in 1845. They returned to the island in 1847, along with four other prospective settlers. By 1851 there were 17 Brunanters plus two Portuguese sailors, making for 19 people on the island. Due to the high number of Brunanters in the island the government showed interest in acquiring the island from Portugal. Berrio was purchased in 1856 for 9,000,000 thalers (about £900,000).

The main settlement was formed in the southwest and was given the name of Cristiana in honor of the first Brunanter monarch over the islands, Cristian I. The islands were visited by Royal Navy ship HMS Donegal in 1880, a large event on the island. The Realmarine first visited the island in 1882, when the Conte van Drenthe came with news of the establishment of democracy and with much-needed (as well as unnecessary) goods from Europe. They would largely be involved in resupplying the island over the next decade. Prince Eugen became the first royal to visit the island, arriving in 1904.

During World War II Berrio was supplied by the Americans and they had a small radio post on the island. They were the only part of Brunant not under German occupation, instead under de-facto American control. Berrio was home to about 30-45 American soldiers at any given time.

Berrio organized its first formal election in 1951 for a local government. Silvia Costa was elected the first head of goverment. John Torres was most recently elected head of government in March 2015.

Geography
Berrio is situated west of Luanda, Angola and northwest of Saint Helena. The island is only 87 square kilometers in size, dominated by the 1002 meter Francesca Peak.

Some of the wildlife on the island include red-footed boobies, Masked boobies, Silver Plover (Charadrius berriensis) and Bulwer's petrel. The marine life includes Sparidae and Parrotfish, among others.

The archipelago has a wet oceanic climate with pleasant temperatures but moderate to heavy rainfall and little sunshine, due to the persistent winds. August and September sees the coldest temperatures, dipping to 14 degrees. In January, temperature can climb to 23-25 degrees, with record temperatures being 31 Celsius in January 1998 and the lowest being -12 Celsius in June 1967.

Economy
Berrio uses the Berrian pound as its currency. This was implemented in 1968 and pegged at 2.5 Thalers. One pound is worth 1.195 euros. Euros may also circulate when brought over by tourists. Prior to 1968, the thaler used to circulate, but in very minimal quantities, with most locals simply bartering.

Berrio uses its own stamps since 1900, denominated in thalers. In 1968 they began using Berrian pound stamps. The current regular series features a vintage design with the queen's silhouette on it.

Most of the local economy is centered around fishing and farming, with the occasional tourism (mostly eco-tourism) complementing that. Income is further derived from selling coins, banknotes and stamps to collectors.

Transport
The island is visited five times every year by a ship from Cape Town, and twice yearly by the Navy's R.S. Carrington. Most people walk within the island for travel. There is only one car in Berrio, a 1963 Carona Stella, brought over in 1970, which serves as the sole motorized transport on land. In 1982 the island passed a law banning any more motor vehicles.

Communications
Berrio is assigned the postal code 0100 and uses two Brunant-based numbers, 10 00 010 and 10 00 011.