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'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' – which measures approximately 106.25 miles (170 km) by 18 miles (29 km) and is by far 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 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 British claim to sovereignty of South Georgia dates from 1775, and that of the South Sandwich Islands from 1908. 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, at Port Faraday 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 the Island, and remains unresolved to this day (see also Sovereignty of the Falkland Islands).

Contents

History

South Georgia

South Sandwich Islands

Geography

South Georgia Group

Islands in the South Georgia Group

South Sandwich Islands

Climate

Politics

Economy

Fishing

Tourism

Postage stamps

Wildlife

Military

See also

Footnotes

References

External links

History

Main articles: History of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

South Georgia

The Island of South Georgia is said to have been first sighted in 1675 by Anthony de la Roché, a London merchant, and was named ''Roche Island'' on some early maps. It was sighted by a commercial Spanish ship named ''León'' operating out of Saint-Malo on 28 June or 29 June 1756,^[1] and in 1775 by Captain James Cook, who, after dismissing his find as "not worth the discovery", went on to survey and map the island, make the first landing, claim the territory for the Kingdom of Great Britain, and name it "the Isle of Georgia" in honour of King George III. British arrangements for the government of South Georgia were first established under the 1843 British Letters Patent.
In 1882 a German expedition sent out to observe the transit of Venus was stationed at Royal Bay on the south-east side of the island.
Throughout the 19th century South Georgia was a sealers' base and, in the following century, a whalers' base until whaling ended in the 1960s. The first land-based whaling station, and first permanent habitation, was established at Grytviken in 1904 by Norwegian Carl Anton Larsen. It operated through his Argentine Fishing Company which, "protected by the Argentine laws and under its flag, settled in Grytviken".^[2][3] The station remained in operation until 1965.
Whaling stations operated under leases granted by the (British) Governor of the Falkland Islands. The seven stations, all on the north coast with its sheltered harbours were, starting from the west:

★ Prince Olav Harbour (from 1911 factory ship, land-based station 1916–1934)

★ Leith Harbour (1909–1965)

★ Stromness (from 1907 factory ship, land-based station 1912–1931, repair yard to 1960/1961)

★ Husvik (from 1907 factory ship, land-based station 1910–1960, not in operation 1930–1945)

★ Grytviken (1904–1965)

★ Godthul (1908–1929, only a rudimentary land base, main operations on factory ship)

★ Ocean Harbour (1909–1920)

From 1905 the Argentine Meteorological Office cooperated in maintaining the meteorological observatory at Grytviken under the British lease requirements of the whaling station until these changed in 1949.
In 1908 the United Kingdom established constitutional arrangements for its possessions in the South Atlantic listed by a Letters Patent as "the groups of islands known as South Georgia, the South Orkneys, the South Shetlands, and the Sandwich Islands, and the territory known as Graham's Land, situated in the South Atlantic Ocean to the south of the 50th parallel of south latitude, and lying between the 20th and the 80th degrees of west longitude". In 1917 the Letters Patent were modified, applying the "sector principle" used in the Arctic; the new scope of the Falkland Islands Dependencies was extended to comprise "all islands and territories whatsoever between the 20th degree of west longitude and the 50th degree of west longitude which are situated south of the 50th parallel of south latitude; and all islands and territories whatsoever between the 50th degree of west longitude and the 80th degree of west longitude which are situated south of the 58th parallel of south latitude", thus reaching the South Pole. The 1908 Letters Patent were not disputed by Argentina at the time, but in 1948 Argentina conceived an argument that they were invalid on the grounds that they allegedly encompassed parts of the South American mainland as well as the Falklands, making the latter dependencies of themselves.^[4][5][6]
From 1909 an administrative centre and residence was established at King Edward Point on South Georgia, near the whaling station of Grytviken. A permanent local British administration and resident Magistrate exercised effective possession, enforcement of British law, and regulation of all economic, scientific and other activities in the territory, which was then governed as the Falkland Island Dependencies.
Argentina claimed South Georgia in 1927.
During World War II, the Royal Navy deployed an armed merchant vessel to patrol South Georgian and Antarctic waters against German raiders, along with two four-inch shore guns (still present) protecting Cumberland Bay and Stromness Bay, manned by volunteers from among the Norwegian whalers. The base at King Edward Point was expanded as a research facility in 1949/1950 by the British Antarctic Survey (until 1962 called Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey).
The Falklands War was precipitated on 19 March 1982 when a group of Argentinians, posing as scrap metal merchants, occupied the abandoned whaling station at Leith Harbour on South Georgia. On April 3 the Argentine troops attacked and occupied Grytviken. Among the commanding officers of the Argentine Garrison was Alfredo Astiz, a Captain in the Argentine Navy who, years later, was convicted of felonies committed during the Dirty War in Argentina.
The island was recaptured by British forces on 25 April (Operation Paraquat). From 1985, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ceased to be administered as a Falkland Islands Dependency and became a separate territory. The King Edward Point base, which had become a small military garrison after the Falklands war, returned to civilian use in 2001 and is now operated by the British Antarctic Survey.

South Sandwich Islands

The southern eight islands of the Sandwich Islands Group were discovered by James Cook in 1775; the northern three by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen in 1819.^[] They were named "Sandwich Land" by Cook after the 4th Earl of Sandwich, 1st Lord of the Admiralty. The word "South" was later added to distinguish them from the "Sandwich Islands", now known as "Hawaii".
The United Kingdom formally annexed the South Sandwich Islands in 1908, grouping them with other British-held territory in Antarctica as the Falkland Islands Dependencies.
Argentina claimed the South Sandwich Islands in 1938, and challenged British sovereignty in the Islands on several occasions. 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 naval 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, protested and tried to resolve the issue by diplomatic means, no effort was made to remove them by force until after the Falklands War. The base was eventually removed on June 20, 1982.

Geography

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. The highest peak is Mount Paget in the Allardyce Range, which is 2,934m (9,625ft) high.

South Georgia Group

The South Georgia Group (Spanish name ''Georgias del Sur'') lies about 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 , including satellite islands (but excluding the South Sandwich Islands which form a separate island group).

Islands in the South Georgia Group

South Georgia Island, also called Pepys Island (''San Pedro'' in Spanish), lies at and has an area of 3,528 km². It is mountainous and largely barren. Eleven peaks rise to over high, their slopes furrowed with deep gorges filled with glaciers (Fortuna Glacier being the largest). The highest peak is Mount Paget at .
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.
Smaller islands and islets off the coast of South Georgia Island include:

★ Annenkov Island

★ Bird Island

★ Cooper Island

★ Grass Island

★ Pickersgill Islands

★ Welcome Islands

★ Willis Islands

★ Trinity Island
The following remote rocks are also considered part of the South Georgia Group:

★ Shag Rocks west-northwest of South Georgia Island

★ Black Rock west-northwest of South Georgia Island and southeast of the Shag Rocks

★ Clerke Rocks east-southeast of South Georgia Island

South Sandwich Islands

The South Sandwich Islands (Spanish name: ''Islas Sandwich del Sur'') comprise 11 mostly volcanic islands (excluding tiny satellite islands and rocks nearby those main islands), with some active volcanoes. They form an island arc running from north to south in the region 56°18'–59°27'S, 26°23'–28°08'W, about south east of South Georgia.
The northernmost of the South Sandwich Islands form the Traversay Islands and Candlemas Islands groups, while the southernmost make up Southern Thule. The three largest islands – Saunders, Montagu and Bristol – lie between the two. The Islands' highest point is Mount Belinda (1,370 m / 4,495 ft) on Montagu Island.
The South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited, though a permanently manned Argentine research station was located on Thule Island from 1976 to 1982 (for details, see "History" section 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.
The following table lists the South Sandwich Islands from north to south:

'Island (''Spanish Name'')'	'Area '	'Highest Peak '	'Location'
'Traversay Islands'
Protector Shoal	—	Protector Shoal:
Zavodovski		Mount Curry:
Leskov		Rudder Point:
Visokoi		Mount Hodson:
'Candlemas Islands' (sometimes included with Traversay Islands)
Candlemas (''Candelaria'')		Mount Andromeda:
Vindication (''Vindicación'')		Quadrant Peak:
'Central islands'
Saunders		Mount Michael:
Montagu (''Jorge'')		Mount Belinda:
Bristol (''Blanca'')		Mount Darnley:
'Southern Thule (''Tule del Sur'')'
Bellingshausen		Basilisk Peak:
Cook		Mount Harmer:
Thule or Morrell Island		Mount Larsen:
'South Sandwich Islands'		Mount Belinda:

Climate

The climate in the islands is very variable and harsh, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm. Typical daily maximum temperatures in South Georgia at sea level are around 0°C (32°F) in winter (August) and 10°C (50°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 1500 mm (59 in), much of which falls as sleet or snow.
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.

Politics

Executive power is vested in The Queen and is exercised by the Commissioner, a post held by the Governor of the Falkland Islands. The current Commissioner is Alan Huckle; he became Commissioner on 25 August 2006. 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 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; see in particular ''Regina v. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Appellant) ex parte Quark Fishing Limited'' [2005] UKHL 57.^[7] 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.

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).^[8] 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, icefish and krill. Fishing licences bring in a handful of million 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.^[9]

Tourism

Tourism has become a larger source of income in recent years, with many cruise ships visiting the islands. The territory gains income from landing charges.
The only way to visit South Georgia is by ship or yacht. Cruise ship visits often include a trip to Antarctica. Charter yacht visits usually begin in the Falkland Islands and last between four and six weeks.

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 policy (few sets of stamps are issued each year) along with attractive subject matter (especially whales) makes them very popular with topical stamp collectors.

Wildlife

Giant petrel on South Georgia Island

120,000 King Penguins on Salisbury Plain (''Aptenodytes patagonicus'').

Wandering Albatross at South Georgia Island

South Georgia supports a great number of sea birds, including albatross, a large colony of King Penguins and penguins of various other species. There is only one land species which is unique to the archipelago however, the South Georgia Pipit.
Reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia. Seals are also frequent on the islands.

Military

Main articles: Military of the Falkland Islands

After the Falklands War in 1982, a full-time British military presence was maintained at King Edward Point. 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 C130 Hercules and 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.

See also

★ List of prominent South Georgians

★ Sub-antarctic islands

Footnotes

1. http://www.cema.edu.ar/ceieg/arg-rree/7/7-104.htm Historia de las Relaciones Exteriores de la Argentina
2. ''La Infanteria de Marina en el conflicto del Atlantico Sur'', Jorge Alberto Erecaborde. The original quote in Spanish is: La Compañia Argentina de Pesca SA, al amparo de las leyes argentinas y bajo su bandera, se instala en Grytviken".
3. Historia General de las Relaciones Exteriores de la República Argentina
4. National Interests and Claims in the Antarctic, p. 19, Robert E. Wilson
5. R.K. Headland, ''The Island of South Georgia'', Cambridge University Press, 1984.
6. The Ross Dependency. The Geographical Journal, Vol. 62, No. 5 (Nov., 1923), pp. 362-365.
7. http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/2005/57.html
8. Commonwealth Secretariat website
9.

References

★ George Forster, ''A Voyage Round the World in His Britannic Majesty's Sloop Resolution Commanded by Capt. James Cook, during the Years 1772, 3, 4 and 5 (2 vols.) '', London, 1777.

★ R.K. Headland, ''The Island of South Georgia'', Cambridge University Press, 1984.

External links

★ South Georgia goverment website

★ Live picture from the South Georgia webcam

★ South Georgia Heritage Trust

★ Operation Paraquat

★ Argentine invasion of South Georgia

★ South Georgia Wiki