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- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Header
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Header
-
-
- Affiliation:
- (dependent territory of the UK)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Geography
- #IMAGE 49 66 TWPCX \maps\South_Ge.PCX
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK Click Here for MAP
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Geography
-
-
- Location:
- in the South Atlantic Ocean, off the south Argentine coast, southeast of the
- Falkland Islands
- Map references:
- Antarctic Region
- Area:
- total area:
- 4,066 km2
- land area:
- 4,066 km2
- comparative area:
- slightly larger than Rhode Island
- note:
- includes Shag Rocks, Clerke Rocks, Bird Island
- Land boundaries:
- 0 km
- Coastline:
- NA km
- Maritime claims:
- territorial sea:
- 12 nm
- International disputes:
- administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
- Climate:
- variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with
- periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
- 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
- Natural resources:
- fish
- 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)
- Irrigated land:
- 0 km2
- 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
- Note:
- the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good
- anchorage
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:People
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- People
-
-
- Population:
- 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
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Government
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Government
-
-
- Names:
- conventional long form:
- South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
- conventional short form:
- none
- Digraph:
- SX
- Type:
- dependent territory of the UK
- Capital:
- none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
- Administrative divisions:
- none (dependent territory of the UK)
- Independence:
- none (dependent territory of the UK)
- Constitution:
- 3 October 1985
- Legal system:
- English common law
- National holiday:
- Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
- Executive branch:
- British monarch, commissioner
- Legislative branch:
- none
- Judicial branch:
- none
- Leaders:
- Chief of State:
- Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Commissioner
- David Everard TATHAM (since August 1992; resident at Stanley, Falkland
- Islands)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Economy
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- 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.
- 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 (1992)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Communications
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Communications
-
-
- Highways:
- NA
- Ports:
- Grytviken on South Georgia
- Airports:
- 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
- Telecommunications:
- coastal radio station at Grytviken; no broadcast stations
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:Defense Forces
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Defense Forces
-
-
- Note:
- defense is the responsibility of the UK
-
- #ENDCARD
-