| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. The famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses a small military garrison. The islands have large bird and seal populations and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 miles to 200 miles around each island.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates: | 54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references: | Antarctic Region

Area: | total: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands

Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: | 0 km

Coastline: | NA km

Maritime claims: | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: | variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Terrain: | most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources: | fish

Land use: | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen)

Irrigated land: | 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: | the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues: | NA

Geography - note: | the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | People | Top of Page

Population: | no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2001 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none

Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by UK civil commissioner Donald A. LAMONT, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is the garrison town

National holiday: | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution: | adopted 3 October 1985

Legal system: | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description: | the flag of the UK is used

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK.

Budget: | revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Electricity - consumption: | NA kWh

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Communications | Top of Page

Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations: | none

Television broadcast stations: | 0 (1997)

Internet country code: | .gs

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Transportation | Top of Page

Waterways: | none

Ports and harbors: | Grytviken

Airports: | none

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Military | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | claimed by Argentina