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

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Background: The islands which have large bird and seal populations 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. 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.


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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: South America

Area
Total: 3,903 km²
Rank: 176
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 11 islands
Comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: NA

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) (2005)

Irrigated land: 0 km²

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


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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

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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Environment
Current issues: NA

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Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

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School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
Abbreviation: SGSSI

Government type

Capital

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

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 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 rampant holding a torch; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a Macaroni penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the crest and below the shield on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)); the lion with the torch represents the UK and discovery; the background of the shield blue and white estoiles are found in the coat of arms of James Cook discoverer of the islands; all the outer supporting animals represented are native to the islands

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

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Electricity

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

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

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .gs
Hosts: 320 (2010)
Hosts rank: 183

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Grytviken


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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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs