Statistical information South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 2001
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the World
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Introduction 2001
top of pageBackground: The islands lie approximately 1000 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 2001
top of pageLocation: 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 reference: Antarctic Region
Area
Total: 3,903 km²
Land: 3,903 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands
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
Extremes highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use
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 km² (1993)
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
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
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 2001
top of pagePopulation
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.)
Nationality
Ethnic groups
Languages
Religions
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate
Death rate
Net migration rate
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: NA
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate
Life expectancy at birth
Total fertility rate
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Government 2001
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Conventional short form: none
Government type
Capital
Administrative divisions
Dependent areas
Independence
National holiday: Liberation Day 14 June (1982)
Constitution: adopted 3 October 1985
Legal system: the laws of the UK where applicable apply
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage
Executive branch
Legislative branch
Judicial branch
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation
Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK also claimed by Argentina)
From the us: none (overseas territory of the UK also claimed by Argentina)
Flag description: the flag of the UK is used
National symbols
National anthem
National heritage
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Economy 2001
top of pageEconomy 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products
Industries
Industrial production growth rate
Labor force
Labor force
Unemployment rate
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget
Revenues: $291,777
Expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports
Imports
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Energy 2001
top of pageElectricity
Production by source fossil fuel: NA%
Production by source hydro: NA%
Production by source nuclear: NA%
Production by source other: NA%
Consumption: NA kWh
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Communication 2001
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Broadcast media
Internet
Country code: .gs
Broadband fixed subscriptions
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Military 2001
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Transportation 2001
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports: none
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways: none
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - Transnational issues 2001
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
