South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Airports

5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway 2,440-3,659 m

Highways

NA

Ports

Grytviken on South Georgia

Telecommunications

coastal radio station at Grytviken; no broadcast stations

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Budget

revenues $291,777; expenditures $451,011, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY88 est.)

Electricity

900 kW capacity; 2 million kWh produced, NA kWh per capita (1990)

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.

Climate

variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Coastline

undetermined Territorial sea: 12 nm

Comparative area

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Disputes

administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina

Environment

reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia; weather conditions generally make it difficult to approach the South Sandwich Islands; the South Sandwich Islands are subject to active volcanism

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%; largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen

Natural resources

fish

Note

the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage

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

Total area

4,066 km2; land area: 4,066 km2; includes Shag and Clerke Rocks

Administrative divisions

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Capital

Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town

Constitution

3 October 1985

Executive branch

British monarch, commissioner

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Judicial branch

none Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Commissioner William Hugh FULLERTON (since 1988; resident at Stanley, Falkland Islands)

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

none

Long-form name

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (no short-form name)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Type

dependent territory of the UK

Population

no permanent population; there is a small military garrison on South Georgia and the British Antarctic Survey has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich islands are uninhabited