South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
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Explore South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands with its capital Grytviken is located in Antarctica (Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 3,904 square kilometers (slightly larger than Rhode Island). English is the language commonly spoken used by the people in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. This country shares no land borders with another country.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are two groups of sub-Antarctic islands of the Southern Ocean east of the southern tip of South America, north of Antarctica. These islands are one of the most remote places in the world, with the only access being by sea. The Southern Ocean is one of the roughest in the world with storms that can make even the most hardened sailor feel ill. Only competent mountaineers need try and travel overland, because of the glaciers. The best way to get around is by boat.

Popular Destinations in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Administrative regions of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

About the country

The landscape is most of the islands are rugged and mountainous rising steeply from the sea with South Georgia being largely barren with steep, glacier-covered mountains as well as the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes. The average density of population is about 0 per km². The climate in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands can be described as variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm with nearly all precipitation falls as snow. Potential threats by nature are the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship they are also subject to active volcanism

To reach someone South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands dial prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on . Websites typically end with the top level domain ".gs". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local . The sign for the locally used currency Pound is GBP.

Blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion rampant, holding a torch; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a Macaroni penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the crest, and below the shield on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)); the lion with the torch represents the UK and discovery; the background of the shield, blue and white estoiles, are found in the coat of arms of James Cook, discoverer of the islands; all the outer supporting animals represented are native to the islands.

The islands, with large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 177)	3,903	sq km
Land (World Rank: 174)	3,903	sq km
Comparative	slightly larger than Rhode Island
Note	includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 74)	2,934	m
Map reference
Antarctic Region
Environment
Issues	- reindeer - introduced to the islands on several occasions in the 20th century - devastated the native flora and bird species - some reindeer were translocated to the Falkland Islands in 2001 - the rest were exterminated (2013-14)
Hazzards	- the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship - they are also subject to active volcanism
Location
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
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 are rugged and mountainous rising steeply from the sea; South Georgia is largely barren with steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

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Nation

Background
The islands, with large bird and seal populations, lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 - except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.
Flag description
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion rampant, holding a torch; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a Macaroni penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the crest, and below the shield on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)); the lion with the torch represents the UK and discovery; the background of the shield, blue and white estoiles, are found in the coat of arms of James Cook, discoverer of the islands; all the outer supporting animals represented are native to the islands

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