*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

*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

*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)

*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)

*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

*South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Defense Forces

Note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK