SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS                                    
(dependent territory of the UK)                                                 
GEOGRAPHY                                                                       
Total area: 4,066 km2; land area: 4,066 km2; includes Shag and                  
Clerke Rocks                                                                    
                                                                                
Comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island                             
                                                                                
Land boundaries: none                                                           
                                                                                
Coastline: undetermined                                                         
                                                                                
Maritime claims:                                                                
                                                                                
Territorial sea: 12 nm                                                          
                                                                                
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                                                         
                                                                                
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                                                    
                                                                                
PEOPLE                                                                          
Population: no permanent 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                                                                     
                                                                                
GOVERNMENT                                                                      
Long-form name: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (no                
short-form name)                                                                
                                                                                
Type: dependent territory of the UK                                             
                                                                                
Capital: 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 William Hugh FULLERTON (since 1988; resident        
at Stanley, Falkland 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 (1990)                                                                   
                                                                                
COMMUNICATIONS                                                                  
Highways: NA                                                                    
                                                                                
Ports: Grytviken on South Georgia                                               
                                                                                
Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;                  
1 with runway 2,440-3,659 m                                                     
                                                                                
Telecommunications: coastal radio station at Grytviken; no                      
broadcast stations                                                              
                                                                                
DEFENSE FORCES                                                                  
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK                                   
                                                                                
