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.

Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S 37 00 W

Map reference: Antarctic Region

Area
Total: 3,903 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
Water: 0 km²
Land: 3,903 km²
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
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) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (1998 est.)

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 21st century live on South Georgia

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 2003 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA

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

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

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)

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.

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

Internet
Country code: .gs

Airports: none (2002)

Waterways: none

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