1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
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
variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year, interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Coastline
NA km
Environment
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
International disputes
administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
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)
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 resources
fish
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
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
People and Society
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
Government
Administrative divisions
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Capital
none; Grytviken on South Georgia is the garrison town
Constitution
3 October 1985
Digraph
SX
Executive branch
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
none (dependent territory of the UK)
Judicial branch
none
Legal system
English common law
Legislative branch
no elections
Names
conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none
National holiday
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Type
dependent territory of the UK
Economy
Budget
revenues: $291,777 expenditures: $451,000, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Electricity
capacity: 900 kW production: 2 million kWh consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)
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.
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
NA telephones; coastal radio station at Grytviken local: NA intercity: NA international: NA
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
none
Highways
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Ports
Grytviken
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the UK ________________________________________________________________________ SPAIN