ARCHIVE // GS // 1994

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

1994 Edition — territory

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Communications
Airports [time series]
total: 5 usable: 5 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Ports [time series]
Grytviken on South Georgia
Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]
coastal radio station at Grytviken; no broadcast stations
Defense Forces
Note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Economy
Budget [time series]
revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 900 kW production: 2 million kWh consumption per capita: NA (1992)
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
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.
Geography
Area [time series]
total area: 4,066 sq km land area: 4,066 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island note: includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island
Climate [time series]
variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Coastline [time series]
NA km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
current issues: NA natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands are subject to active volcanism international agreements: NA
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
Irrigated land [time series]
0 sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
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)
Location [time series]
Southern South America, in the South Atlantic Ocean, off the south Argentine coast, southeast of the Falkland Islands
Map references [time series]
Antarctic Region
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
fish
Note [time series]
the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in this century, live on South Georgia; weather conditions generally make it difficult to approach the South Sandwich Islands
Terrain [time series]
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
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Capital [time series]
none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
Constitution [time series]
3 October 1985
Digraph [time series]
SX
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Commissioner David Everard TATHAM (since August 1992; resident at Stanley, Falkland Islands)
Independence [time series]
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Judicial branch [time series]
none
Legal system [time series]
English common law
Legislative branch [time series]
no elections
Country name (Names) [time series]
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none
National holiday [time series]
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Government type (Type) [time series]
dependent territory of the UK
People
Population [time series]
no indigenous 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