South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Radio broadcast stations

none

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Television broadcast stations

0 (1997)

Budget

revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)

Economy - 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.

Electricity - consumption

NA

Electricity - production

2 million kWh

Electricity - production by source

NA

Area

total: 4,066 sq km land: 4,066 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Rhode Island

Climate

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

Coastline

NA km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,915 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

54 30 S, 37 00 W

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1993)

Land boundaries

0 km

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)

Location

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Map references

Antarctic Region

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural resources

fish

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

Capital

none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town

Constitution

adopted 3 October 1985

Country name

conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none

Data code

SX

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by UK civil commissioner Donald A. LAMONT, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is the garrison town

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description

the flag of the UK is used

Legal system

English Common Law

National holiday

Liberation Day 14 June (1982)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Population

no indigenous inhabitants note: 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 (July 2000 est.)

Disputes - international

claimed by Argentina [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

none

Ports and harbors

Grytviken