ARCHIVE // GS // 1996

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

1996 Edition — territory

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
View Intelligence Dossier Back to 1996 CSV Excel Print All Years
Communications
Military - note (Defense note) [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
0
Televisions [time series]
NA Defense
Economy
Budget [time series]
revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Economic 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.
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 900 kW production: 2 million kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)
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 have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism international agreements: NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
54 30 S, 37 00 W
Geography - note (Geographic 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
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, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Map references [time series]
Antarctic Region
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
fish
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 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget 2,915 m
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
Data code [time series]
SX
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the United Kingdom since 6 February 1952), a hereditary monarch, is represented by Commissioner David Everard TATHAM (since August 1992; resident at Stanley, Falkland Islands)
Flag [time series]
the flag of the UK is used
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 (Name of country) [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 of government) [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
Transportation
Airports [time series]
none
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Ports [time series]
Grytviken