South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

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"South Georgia" redirects here. For the southern part of the U.S. state, see Georgia.
South Georgia
and the South Sandwich Islands
Image:Flag of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.svg Image:Arms of South Georgia.gif
(flag ) (Coat of Arms)
Motto: Leo Terram Propriam Protegat
Image:South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.png
Official language English
Capital Grytviken
Civil Commisioner Howard Pearce
Area
 - Total
 - % water 		not ranked
3,093 km²
-
Population
 - Total (2003 E)
 - Density 		not ranked
~100
n/a;
Currency Falkland pound (FKP; fixed to GBP)
Time zone UTC -4 (DST -3)
National anthem God Save the Queen
Internet TLD .gs

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic. The territory was formed in 1985, previously they were governed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependancy. The territory consists of the island of South Georgia, which is the largest island in the territory, and a group of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands. There is no native population on any of the islands, and the only inhabitants are the British military garrison and scientists from the British Antarctic Survey who maintain a base at the capital, Grytviken.

The sovereignty of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands has been disputed since their discovery. Argentina is the only country to still maintain a claim over the islands, which they call Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur. The sovereignty dispute over SGSSI contributed even to the 1982 Falklands War and has remained unresolved until today. Argentina maintained a settlement on the South Sandwich Islands from 1976 until 1982, and occupied South Georgia during the Falklands War (see also below).

Contents

Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands consist of two main groups of islands:

For a more detailed list of the islands of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands than the list provided below, see List of sub-antarctic islands:

South Georgia and its associated islands:

South Sandwich Islands (57° 45′ 00″ S, 026° 30′ 00″ W): Image:Orthographic projection centred on the South Sandwich Islands.png

History

Image:Grytvikenchurch.jpg

South Georgia

The Island of South Georgia was first said to have been sigghted in 1675 by Anthony de la Roche, a London merchant, and it was named Pepys Island after Samuel Pepys, the Admiralty Secetary. It was rediscovered in 1775 by Captain James Cook, who after dismissing his find as "not worth the discovery," went on to name it "the Isle of Georgia" in honour of King George III

Throughout the 19th century it was a sealers' base and, in the following century, a whalers' base until whaling ended mid-century. The first land-based whaling station, Grytviken, was set up in 1904 and was in operation until 1965. All seven whaling stations, all on the North coast with its sheltered harbours, starting in the West:

  • Prince Olav Harbour (from 1911 factory-ship, land-based station 1916 to 1934)
  • Leith Harbour (1909 to 1965)
  • Stromness (from 1907 factory-ship, land-based station 1912-1931, repair yard to 1960/1961)
  • Husvik (from 1907 factory-ship, land-based station 1960 to 1960, out of operation 1930 to 1945)
  • Grytviken (1904 to 1965)
  • Godthul (1908 to 1929, only a rudimentary land base, main operations on factory-ship)
  • Ocean Harbour (1909 to 1920)

The Falklands War was precipitated on 19 March 1982 when a group of Argentineans, posing as scrap metal merchants, occupied South Georgia at an abandoned whaling station at Leith Harbour. The commander of the Argentinian Garrison was Alfredo Astiz, a Captain in the Argentine Navy who, years later, was convicted of felonies committed during the Dirty War in Argentina. He renamed the island Isla San Pedro when he proclaimed Argentine authority over South Georgia on April 2. The island was recaptured by British forces on 25 April (Operation Paraquat).

The research station at King Edward Point, near the former Norwegian whaling station of Grytviken, originally established up in 1949/1950 by the British Antarctic Survey (until 1962 called Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey), became a small military garrison after the Falklands war. This returned to civilian use in 2001 and is operated by the British Antarctic Survey.

South Sandwich Islands

The islands were initially named "South" Sandwich Islands to distinguish them from the then "Sandwich Islands" now known as "Hawaii". The southern eight islands were discovered by James Cook in 1775. The northern three by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen in 1819. They were named after the 4th Earl of Sandwich, 1st Lord of the Admiralty.

The United Kingdom unilateraly declared sovereignty over the South Sandwich Islands in 1908, grouping them with other British held territory in the South Atlantic under the Falkland Island Dependancy. Argentina also claimed the islands in dispute with the UK (See Sovereignty of the Falkland Islands).

Argentina challenged British soveriengty in the Islands on several occassions. From January 25, 1955 through summer of 1956 Argentina maintained the summer station Teniente Esquivel at Ferguson Bay on the Southeastern coast of Thule Island. From 1976 to 1982, Argentina maintained a research base named Corbeta Uruguay, at Port Faraday, in the lee (southern East coast) of the same island. Although the British discovered the presence of the Argentine base in 1978, no effort was made to remove them until after the Falklands War. The base was eventually removed on June 20, 1982.

Politics

Image:Howard Pearce.jpg

Executive power is vested in The Queen, and is exercised by the Civil Commissioner, a post held by the Governor of the Falkland Islands. The current Civil Commissioner is Howard Pearce. An Assistant Commissioner deals with policy matters and is also Director of SGSSI Fisheries, responsible for the issue of fishing licenses. An Operations Manager deals with administrative matters relating to the territory. The Financial Secretary and Attorney General of the territory are appointed and hold similar appointments in the Falkland Islands' Government.

As there is no permanent inhabitants on the islands, there is no legislative council or elections held. The UK Foreign Office manages the foreign relations of the territory. Since 1982, the territory celebrates Liberation Day on June 14

Geography

South Georgia Group

Image:SouthGeorgiaIsland-EO.JPG

South Georgia is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 1390 km south by east of the Falkland Islands, in 54-55°S, 36-38°W. It has a land area of 3756 km², including satellite islands, but excluding the South Sandwich Islands which form a separate island group. The main island itself, also called Pepys Island (San Pedro in Spanish), has an area of 3528 km². It is mountainous, with 11 peaks over 2,000 m high, their slopes furrowed with deep gorges filled with glaciers (Fortuna Glacier being the largest). Geologically, it consists of gneiss and argillaceous schists, with no trace of fossils, showing that the island is, like the Falkland Islands, a surviving fragment of some greater land-mass now vanished, most probably indicating a former extension of the Andean system. The German expedition sent out to observe the transit of Venus was stationed at Royal Bay, on the south-east side of the island in 1882.

The climate in the islands is variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow. Most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia (Pepys Island) is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes. Mount Paget on South Georgia is 2,934 m high. The islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism. The north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia.

South Sandwich Islands

There are 11 mostly volcanic islands (not counting tiny satellite islands and rocks nearby those main islands) forming an island arc, from north to south. As a group, the South Sandwich Islands are located at approximately 57° 45′ 00″ S, 026° 30′ 00″ W:

No. Island (Spanish Name) Area (km2) Height (m) Highest Peak Location
1 Zavodovski 25 550 Mount Curry 56°18′ S 27°34′ W
2 Leskov 0.3 190 Rudder Point 56°40′ S 28°08′ W
3 Visokoi 35 915 Mount Hodson 56°42′ S 27°13′ W
4 Candlemas (Candelaria) 14 550 Mount Andromeda 57°05′ S 26°39′ W
5 Vindication (Vindicación) 5 430 Quadrant Peak 57°06′ S 26°47′ W
6 Saunders 40 805 Mount Michael 57°48′ S 26°28′ W
7 Montagu (Jorge) 110 1370 Mount Belinda 58°25′ S 26°23′ W
8 Bristol (Blanca) 46 1100 Mount Darnley 59°03′ S 26°30′ W
9 Bellingshausen 1 255 Basilisk Peak 59°25′ S 27°05′ W
10 Cook 20 1115 Mount Harmer 59°26′ S 27°09′ W
11 Thule or Morrell Island (Tule del Sur) 14 710 Mount Larsen 59°27′ S 27°18′ W
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
(ISLAS SANDWICH DEL SUR) 		310 1370 Mount Belinda 56°18' to 59°27'S,
26°20° to 28°08'W

Subgroups

Islands 6 through 8, which are also the three largest islands, are not part of any subgroup.

The South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited, although Thule Island used to have a permanently manned Argentinian research station from 1976 to 1982 (for details, see paragraph on History above).

There are automatic weather stations on Thule (Morrell) Island and Zavodovski.

To the northwest of Zavodovski Island is the Protector Shoal, a submarine volcano.

Economy

Image:Stamp South Georgia 1963 4d.jpg

As there are no native inhabitents, economic activity in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is limited. The territory has revenues of less than $300,000 against expenditures of nearly $500,000. The main sources of income for the territory include fishing, tourism and sale of postage stamps.

Fishing

Fishing takes place around South Georgia and in adjacent waters in some months of the year, with fishing licences sold by the territory for finfish and krill. There is a potential source of income from harvesting fin fish and krill.

Tourism

Tourism has become a bigger source of income in recent years, with many cruise ships visiting the islands. The territory gains income from landing charges.

Postage Stamps

A large source of income from abroad also comes from the issue of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands postage stamps which are produced in the UK.

See also

External links


edit British dependencies Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Overseas territories: Anguilla | Bermuda | British Antarctic Territory | British Indian Ocean Territory | British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands | Falkland Islands | Gibraltar | Montserrat | Pitcairn Islands | Saint Helena (Ascension, Tristan da Cunha) | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Turks and Caicos Islands
Crown dependencies: Guernsey | Jersey | Isle of Man
UK Sovereign Base Areas: Akrotiri and Dhekelia (in Cyprus)
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