| South Georgia Island |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands, the South Sandwich Islands. South Georgia is 167.4 kilometres (104 mi) long and 1.4 to 37 km (0.87 to 23 miles) wide and is by far the largest island in the territory. The South Sandwich Islands lie about 520 kilometres (320 mi) to the south-east of South Georgia. The total land area of the territory is 3,903 square kilometres (1,507 sq mi). |
There is no native population on any of the islands, and the only present inhabitants are the British Government Officer, Deputy Postmaster, scientists, and support staff from the British Antarctic Survey who maintain scientific bases at Bird Island and at the capital, King Edward Point, as well as museum staff at nearby Grytviken.
The United Kingdom claimed sovereignty over South Georgia in 1775 and the South Sandwich Islands in 1908. In 1908 the United Kingdom annexed both South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The territory of "South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands" was formed in 1985; previously it had been governed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. Argentina claimed South Georgia in 1927, and the South Sandwich Islands in 1938.
Argentina maintained a naval station, Corbeta Uruguay on Thule Island in the South Sandwich Islands from 1976 until 1982 when it was closed by the Royal Navy. The Argentine claim over South Georgia contributed to the 1982 Falklands War, during which Argentine forces briefly occupied part of the Island. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. |
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| Flag Description |
The Flag of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands was granted on 3 October 1985, when the Territory was created. Previously the Territory was a part of the Falkland Islands Dependency and used the same flag.
The flag is a blue ensign, with the Union Flag in the canton, defaced with the coat-of-arms. The flag flies over the main government settlements on South Georgia Island, and the scientific bases of the British Antarctic Survey. The original flag had a smaller version of the coat-of-arms displayed in a white disc, but this was changed to the current flag between 1999 and 2002.
There is also a flag to represent the Civil Commissioner of the Territory, a Union Flag defaced with the coat-of-arms. As the Civil Commissioner is also the Governor of the Falkland Islands, the flag is only in use when the Commissioner visits the Territory.
The original version of the commissioner's flag just displayed the shield-of-arms, it was changed in 1999. |
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| The shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto "Leo Terram Propriam Protegat" (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land). |
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| Geography of South Georgia |
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are a collection of bleak and remote islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. Most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous. At higher elevations the islands are permanently covered with ice and snow.
The South Georgia Group lies about 1,390 kilometres (864 mi) east-southeast of the Falkland Islands, at 54°–55°S, 36°–38°W. It comprises South Georgia Island itself (by far the largest island in the territory), along with the islands that immediately surround it and some remote and isolated islets to the west and east-southeast. It has a total land area of 3,756 km2 (1,450 sq mi), including satellite islands (but excluding the South Sandwich Islands which form a separate island group).
South Georgia Island, lies at 54°15′S 36°45′W / 54.25°S 36.75°W / -54.25; -36.75Coordinates: 54°15′S 36°45′W / 54.25°S 36.75°W / -54.25; -36.75 and has an area of 3,528 km2 (1,362 sq mi). It is mountainous and largely barren. Eleven peaks rise to over 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) high, their slopes furrowed with deep gorges filled with glaciers (Fortuna Glacier being the largest). The highest peak is Mount Paget in the Allardyce Range at 2,934 metres (9,626 ft).Geologically, the island 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. |
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| Smaller islands and islets off the coast of South Georgia Island include: |
| Annenkov Island |
Annenkov Island (54°29′S 37°5′W / 54.483°S 37.083°W / -54.483; -37.083) is to the west of the main island of South Georgia.
It is irregularly-shaped and 4 miles (6.4 km) long and 650 m (2,133 ft) high, lying 8 miles (12.9 km) off the south-central coast of South Georgia.
It was discovered in January 1775 by a British expedition under Cook, who named it "Pickersgills Island" for Lieutenant Richard Pickersgill of the expedition ship HMS Resolution (1771). Resighted in 1819 by a Russian expedition under Bellingshausen on the Vostok, who, thinking he was the discoverer of the island, named it Annenkov Island for Lieutenant Mikhail Annenkov, officer on the expedition ship. Pickersgill has become established for a group of islands 15 miles (24 km) to the southeast - see Pickersgill Islands.
A Site of Special Scientific Interest, Annenkov, is one of the few rat-free islands of the South Georgia archipelago. And as Bellinghausen lamented there is "not a single shrub nor any vegetation" on the island. 500 wandering albatross pairs breed here, landings are only allowed here with permission.
Annenkov's highest point is Olstad Peak (54°29′S 37°5′W / 54.483°S 37.083°W / -54.483; -37.083), which rises to 650 m (2,133 ft).Olstad Peak was surveyed by the South Georgia Survey in the period 1951-57, and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Ola Olstad, Norwegian zoologist, member of the Norwegian expedition under Horntvedt, 1927-28, and chief scientist of the Norwegian expedition under Nils Larsen, 1928-29. It is one of the few places in South Georgia where fossils may be found. |
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| Intrusion Lake (54°29′S 37°4′W / 54.483°S 37.067°W / -54.483; -37.067) is a lake, 0.2 miles (0.32 km) long, located north-northeast of Olstad Peak in central Annenkov Island. Mapped by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in 1972-73 and so named because its irregular shape is controlled by several intrusions of andesite along its north shore. |
| Bird Island |
Bird Island is 4.8 km (3 mi) long and 800 metres (875 yd) wide, separated from the western end of South Georgia by Bird Sound.
It was discovered in 1775 by a British expedition under James Cook, who so named it "on account of the vast numbers of birds that were upon it".
In the late 1950s, the island was the subject of a number of US funded projects. Between 1959-62, a great number of the island's wandering albatross were ringed, which gave startling data about their range - one bird was found in Australia.
The island has been a station for Antarctic research since 1963, and is currently a biological research station of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) at Jordan Cove, with 4 resident biologists. The main focus of the research is the ecology and population of the island's seabirds and seals.
While the British Magistrate and other civilians and military present in Grytviken were removed from South Georgia during the Argentine occupation of South Georgia in 1982, another 15 Britons remained beyond Argentine reach. The losses suffered at Grytviken prevented Argentina from occupying the rest of the island, with Bird Island base, and field camps at Schlieper Bay, Lyell Glacier and St. Andrews Bay remaining under British control.
The island is currently a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and so there are no landings allowed without permission.
The summit of the island, Roché Peak is named for the Englishman Anthony de la Roché who discovered South Georgia in 1675. |
| Cooper Island |
Cooper Island (54°48′S 35°47′W / 54.8°S 35.783°W / -54.8; -35.783) is a small island to the southeast of the main island of South Georgia.
It is 2 miles (3.2 km) long and lies at the north side of the entrance to Drygalski Fjord, off the southeast end of South Georgia. It was discovered by a British expedition under James Cook in 1775, and named for Lieutenant Robert Palliser Cooper, an officer aboard the Resolution.
A navigable channel, Cooper Sound, nearly 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, separates Cooper Island from the southeast coast of the main island of South Georgia. There is a small bay, Cooper bay, 1.3 miles (2.1 km) southwest of Cape Vahsel on the mainland, and 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of Cooper Island, indenting the southeast end of South Georgia, which derives its name from Cooper Island.
It is 1,365 feet (416 m) at its highest point, and the upper parts of the island are above the snow line. |
| As one of a handful of rat-free islands, Cooper Island is South Georgia's only Special Protection Area, it has a great deal of sea birds including snow petrels, Antarctic Prions, 12,000 pairs of black-browed albatrosses, chinstrap penguins and 20,000 macaroni penguins. There are also a number of fur seals and this is one of the few places where they were not hunted by humans.The island is covered in tussock grass. |
| Grass Island |
Grass Island (54°9′S 36°40′W / 54.15°S 36.667°W / -54.15; -36.667) is a conspicuous island lying across the entrance to Stromness Harbour in Stromness Bay, South Georgia. It was known as "Mutton Island" as early as 1912, but since 1920 the name Grass Island has been consistently used.
On the 22 and 23 April, 1982, after a British SBS team were driven back by snow at Cumberland East Bay, the SAS was landed on Grass Island from HMS Antrim, and launched their attack on Argentine positions from here.
In 2000, the island became rat-free after a team from New Zealand helped in an extermination. |
| The Pickersgill Islands |
The Pickersgill Islands (54°37′S 36°45′W / 54.617°S 36.75°W / -54.617; -36.75) are a small archipelago to the west of the main island of South Georgia. They are 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Annenkov Island and 9 miles (14 km) west-southwest of Leon Head, South Georgia.
Annenkov Island was discovered in January 1775 by a British expedition under Cook, who named it "Pickersgills Island" for Lieutenant Richard Pickersgill of the expedition ship HMS Resolution (1771). It was in 1819 by a Russian expedition under Bellingshausen, who, thinking he was the discoverer of the island, named it Annenkov Island for Lieutenant Mikhail Annenkov, officer on the expedition ship.
The Pickersgill Islands, meanwhile were discovered in 1819 by a Russian expedition under Bellingshausen, who charted the largest feature of the group as Pickersgill Island, erroneously thinking it to be the island sighted in 1775 by Captain James Cook and named for Lieutenant Richard Pickersgill of the expedition ship Resolution.
The name "Pickersgill" got transferred from Annenkov Island, to this archipelago 15 miles (24 km) to its southeast. The name Pickersgill Islands has been established by usage for this group of islands; the island originally named by Cook has been known as Annenkov Island since 1819. |
| Welcome Islands |
The Welcome Islands are a small rocky archipelago to the north of the main island of South Georgia. They are to the east of Bird Island.
They are 4 miles (6.4 km) west-northwest of Cape Buller, off the north coast of South Georgia. These islands were discovered by Captain James Cook in 1775. The name dates back to at least 1912 and is now well established. The highest point in the islands is 88m. |
| Willis Islands |
The Willis Islands are a small archipelago to the west of the main island of South Georgia. They are 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Bird Island.
They were discovered in 1775 by Captain James Cook and named for the crew member who first sighted them. |
| Trinity Island |
| Trinity Island is an island having three peaks, lying 0.7 miles (1.1 km) northeast of Main Island in the Willis Islands at South Georgia. Trinity Island was charted and so named for its three peaks by Discovery Investigations personnel in the period 1926-1930. |
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| Climate |
The permanently cold sea maintains a cold maritime climate on the islands, and the weather is very variable and harsh.[citation needed] Typical daily maximum temperatures in South Georgia at sea level are around 0 °C (32 °F) in winter (August) and 8 °C (46.4 °F) in summer (January). Winter minimum temperatures are typically about −5 °C (23 °F) and rarely dip below
−10 °C (14 °F). Annual precipitation in South Georgia is about 1,500 mm (59.1 in), much of which falls as sleet or snow, which is possible in any month. Inland, the snow line in summer is at an altitude of about 300 m (984 ft).
Westerly winds blow throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm. This gives the eastern side of South Georgia (leeward side) a much more pleasant climate than the exposed western side. The prevailing weather conditions generally make the islands difficult to approach by ship, though the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays which provide good anchorage.
During mountain wind conditions, the winds blow straight up the western side and straight down the eastern side of the mountains and become much warmer and drier; this produces the most pleasant conditions when temperatures can occasionally rise over 20 °C (68 °F) on summer days. The highest ever recorded temperature was 23.5 °C (74.3 °F) at Grytviken.
The seas surrounding South Georgia are cold throughout the year due to the proximity of the Antarctic Current. They usually remain free of pack ice in winter, though thin ice may form in sheltered bays, and icebergs are common. Sea temperatures drop to 0 °C (32 °F) in late August and rise to around 4 °C (39.2 °F) only in early April. |
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| Administration & Government |
Executive power is vested in The Queen and is exercised by the Commissioner, a post held by the Governor of the Falkland Islands.
A Senior Executive Officer deals with policy matters and is also Director of SGSSI Fisheries, responsible for the allocation of fishing licences.
An Executive Officer deals with administrative matters relating to the territory.
There is also an Environmental Officer.
The Financial Secretary and Attorney General of the territory are appointed ex officio similar appointments in the Falkland Islands' Government.
As there are no permanent inhabitants on the islands, there is no legislative council and no elections are held. The UK Foreign Office manages the foreign relations of the territory. Since 1982, the territory celebrates Liberation Day on June 14.
The constitution of the territory (adopted 3 October 1985), the manner in which its government is directed, and the availability of judicial review were discussed in a series of litigations in 2001 to 2005.
Although its government is entirely directed by the UK Foreign Office, it was held that its decisions under that direction could not be challenged as if they were in law decisions of a UK government department; thus the European Convention on Human Rights did not apply. |
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| Economy |
| As there are no native inhabitants, economic activity in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is limited. The territory has revenues of UK£3.9 million, 90% of which is derived from fishing licences (2002 figures).[16] Other sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps and coins, tourism and customs and harbour dues. |
| 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 Patagonian toothfish, cod icefish and krill. Fishing licences bring in millions of pounds a year, most of which is spent on fishery protection and research. All fisheries are regulated and managed in accordance with the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) system.
In 2001, the South Georgia government received a certificate from the Marine Stewardship Council for its sustainable Patagonian toothfish fishery, which certifies that they met the MSC's environmental standards and places limits on the timing and quantity of Patagonian toothfish that may be caught. |
| Tourism |
Tourism has become a larger source of income in recent years, with many cruise ships and sailing yachts visiting the islands (the only way to visit South Georgia is by sea). The territory gains income from landing charges and the sale of souvenirs. Cruise ships often combine a Grytviken visit with a trip to the Antarctic Peninsula.
Charter yacht visits usually begin in the Falkland Islands, last between four and six weeks, and enable guests to visit remote harbours of South Georgia and even the South Sandwich Islands. Sailing vessels are now required to anchor out and can no longer tie up to the old whaling piers on shore.
One exception being the recently upgraded/repaired yacht berth at Grytviken - all other jetties at former whaling stations lie inside a 200 m (656 ft) exclusion zone, and berthing, or putting ropes ashore, at these, is therefore forbidden. Yachts are normally expected to report to the Government Officer at King Edward Point in the first instance, when visiting South Georgia, before moving round the island. |
| 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.
A reasonable issue policy (few sets of stamps are issued each year) along with attractive subject matter (especially whales) makes them very popular with topical stamp collectors.
There are only four genuine first day cover sets from 16 March 1982 available. These stamps were stamped actually at the South Georgia Post Office, all those in circulation were stamped elsewhere and sent out, but the only genuine ones were kept at the Post Office on South Georgia. These four sets were removed by a member of staff of the British Antarctic Survey in the few moments the Argentinians allowed them to gather their belongings. Everything else was burnt, but these four sets were saved and brought back to the UK by Robert Headland, BAS, who kept a diary during his captivity. Upon his return to the UK the diary was published. |
| Currency |
| The pound sterling is the official currency of the islands, and the same notes and coins are used as in the United Kingdom. |
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| Flora & Fauna |
The parts of the islands that are not permanently covered in snow or ice are part of the Scotia Sea Islands tundra ecoregion. Native vegetation on South Georgia is limited to grasses, mosses, lichens, ferns and a few other small flowering plants. A number of other introduced species have become naturalised. There are no trees or shrubs.
South Georgia supports a great number of sea birds, including albatross, a large colony of King Penguins and penguins of various other species, along with petrels, prions, shags, skuas, gulls and terns. There is one songbird which is unique to the archipelago, the South Georgia Pipit, and a duck, the South Georgia Pintail.
Seals are frequent on the islands, and whales may be seen in the surrounding waters. There are no native land mammals, though reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia, along with brown rats and mice. The latter have destroyed tens of millions of ground-nesting birds’ eggs and chicks, and scientists plan to eradicate the rats over four years starting 2011. It will be by far the largest rodent eradication attempt in the world to date. |
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| Military |
After the Falklands War in 1982, a full-time British military presence was maintained at King Edward Point on South Georgia. This was scaled down during the 1990s, and the last detachment left South Georgia in March 2001, when the new station was built and occupied by the British Antarctic Survey.
The main British military facility in the region is at RAF Mount Pleasant (and Mare Harbour) on East Falkland. Other than that, a handful of British naval vessels patrol the region. They visit South Georgia a few times each year, sometimes deploying small patrols of infantry. Flights by RAF C-130 Hercules and Vickers VC10 aircraft occasionally patrol the territory.
HMS Endurance, the British Royal Navy ice patrol ship, operates in the South Georgia area during part of most southern summer seasons. She carries out hydrological and mapping work as well as assisting with scientific fieldwork for the British Antarctic Survey, high-profile film and photographic units, and youth expedition group BSES Expeditions. |
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| Black Rock |
Black Rock (53°39′S 41°48′W / 53.65°S 41.8°W / -53.65; -41.8) is a low rock 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Shag Rocks and some 105 miles (169 km) west-northwest of South Georgia. Black Rock may have been considered as part of the "Aurora Islands" reported in this vicinity by the ship Aurora in 1762. It was charted in 1927 by DI (Discovery Investigations) personnel on the William Scoresby.
Argentina lays claim to many islands of the area, including Black Rock and Shag Rocks. The Falklands War of 1982 was fought by Britain and Argentina not only over the territories of the Falkland Islands, but also over South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Black Rock and Shag Rocks are on the route from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia Island, on the seamount of Scotia Ridge. |
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| Clerke Rocks |
The Clerke Rocks are a group of small rocky islands 74 kilometres (46 miles) southeast of South Georgia Island that extend 8 kilometres (5 miles) from east to west.
The Clerke Rocks include:
The Office Boys at the northeastern end.
Nobby at the southeastern end of the group.
The islands belong to the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and are also claimed by Argentina as part of Tierra del Fuego Province.
The islands were discovered in 1775 by a British expedition under Captain James Cook, who named them for Charles Clerke, an officer on HMS Resolution, who first saw the rocks. Like the Shag Rocks, cormorants make up a large part of the bird population.
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