Map of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: The islands lie approximately 1000 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. 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 nm to 200 nm around each island.


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 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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 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
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) (2001)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (1998 est.)

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 the 20th century live on South Georgia


top of page


Population
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 2004 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages

Religions

Demographic profile

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


top of page


Country 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; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

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: 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)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. Fees from fishing licenses and related activities traditionally account for around 90% of South Georgia's revenue (about $5.6 million in 2004). 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. Annual tourist volume hovers around 3,000 arrivals.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

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

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


top of page


Electricity

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .gs

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: none (2003 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by force

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs