THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 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, which was 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 extended the exclusive fishing zone in 1993, from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area: total: 3,903 sq km
land: 3,903 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: NA
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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
Elevation: highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: other: 100% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2022)
Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Geography - note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage

Environmental issues: damage to native wildlife from imported animals
Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Land use: other: 100% (2018 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
abbreviation: SGSSI
etymology: Captain James COOK originally named it "the Isle of Georgia" in 1775 in honor of British King GEORGE III; the word "South" was later added to distinguish these islands from the other Sandwich Islands, now known as the Hawaiian Islands
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing the British monarch
Legal system: the laws of the UK apply
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina)
International organization participation: UPU
Flag: description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant; the islands' coat of arms is centered on the right half of the flag and has a green shield with a golden lion holding a torch; a fur seal is to the left of the shield and a Macaroni penguin to 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)meaning: the lion represents the UK and discovery; the seal, penguin, and reindeer are native to the islands

Heliports: 1 (2025)
Ports: total ports: 3 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Grytviken, Prince Olav Harbor, Stromness Harbor

South Georgia