South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

:"South Georgia" redirects here. For the southern part of the U.S. state, see Georgia.

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South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI, Spanish: Islas Georgias del Sur y Islas Sandwich del Sur) is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands consists of the island of South Georgia, which is by far the largest island in the territory, the islands that immediately surround the main island of South Georgia, some remote and isolated islets west and southeast of the main island of South Georgia, and a line of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands, located south of South Georgia. 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. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are administered from the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas in Spanish) by UK civil commissioner Howard Pearce, representing Queen Elizabeth II. Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. The territory was formed in 1985, previously they were governed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependancy. A constitution was adopted October 3, 1985, when the islands became a separate overseas territory, after having been administratively a part of the Falkland Islands. The legal system is based on English Common Law. Since 1982, the territory celebrates Liberation Day on June 14.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - South Atlantic - British Antarctic Survey - Grytviken - Falkland Islands - Spanish - Queen Elizabeth II - 1985 - October 3 - Overseas territory - Common Law - 1982 - June 14

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South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are also claimed by Argentina as part of the province Tierra del Fuego. Argentina maintained a settlement on the South Sandwich Islands from 1976 until 1982, and occupied South Georgia during the Falklands War. Argentina's claim over South Georgia (especially historically also known as Pepys Island) and the South Sandwich Islands was based on the fact that these dependencies were administered by the Falkland Islands. However, this was done purely as a form of convenience. Geographically speaking, neither dependency is a part of the Falkland Islands.

Related Topics:
Argentina - Province - Tierra del Fuego - 1976 - 1982 - Falklands War - Pepys Island

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The territory measures 4066 km² in area. The main base (British Antarctic Survey Research Station) and seat of the Marine Officer to whom local government is delegated is King Edward Point, at Cumberland East Bay, near the island's "capital" and former Norwegian whaling station of Grytviken, with a maximum accommodation of 18 persons (the winter population is 8 on the average). There is a second base, biological research station Bird Island, at Jordan Cove on the Bird Island 4 km off the western tip of the main island, which can accommodate up to 8 persons but is not continuously occupied. The winter population is 3 to 4 on the average. The total population of the territory therefore ranges from 11 or 12 in winter to a maximum of 26 in summer.

Related Topics:
Km² - British Antarctic Survey - Norwegian - Grytviken - Bird Island

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The territory uses data code SX, and has the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) .gs.

Related Topics:
Internet - Country code - Top-level domain - CcTLD - .gs

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