The islands, which have large
bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland
Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for
a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South
Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. 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 scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the
importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in
1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each
island.
Geography
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
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 11 islands
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% other: 100% (largely covered by
permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass,
moss, and lichen) (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
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 the 20th century, live on South Georgia
People
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in
March 2001 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
Government
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Country name:
conventional long form:
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short
form: none abbreviation: SGSSI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK,
also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a
commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands,
representing Queen ELIZABETH II
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where
applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands
presides over the Magistrates Court
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:
blue, with the flag of the UK
in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South
Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the
coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is
supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer
appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM
PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
Economy
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Economy - overview:
Some fishing takes place in
adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting
finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced
in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from
tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing
rapidly.
Communications
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone
station at Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations:
0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (2003)
Internet country code:
.gs
Internet hosts:
193 (2007)
Transportation
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Ports and terminals:
Grytviken
Military
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility
of the UK
Transnational Issues
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands
Disputes - international:
Argentina, which claims the
islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982,
agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force
