Bermuda is an archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 640 miles (1,030 kilometers) east of the coast of North Carolina, United States. The islands of Bermuda are the tops of an underwater mountain range that was formed millions of years ago. The islands are made up of coral reefs and sedimentary rock and are the remnants of a volcanic island that was formed when the North American continent and the African continent were still connected. As the continents moved apart, the volcanic island was gradually submerged under the ocean, leaving only the highest peaks exposed above sea level. Over time, coral reefs grew around the islands, forming the distinctive pink-sand beaches that are a hallmark of Bermuda.