SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(3 fields)
Radio broadcast stations
none
Telephone system
domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Television broadcast stations
0 (1997)
◆ ECONOMY(5 fields)
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
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 fields)
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
◆ GOVERNMENT(10 fields)
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(1 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
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.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
Disputes - international
claimed by Argentina [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
◆ TRANSPORTATION(2 fields)
Airports
none
Ports and harbors
Grytviken