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United Kingdom - South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Status: UK overseas territory

Geography

The island of South Georgia lies approximately 1,390km east-south-east of the Falkland Islands. It is some 170km long and varies in width from 2km to 40km.

The South Sandwich Islands are a further 640km to the south-east of South Georgia. The islands are volcanic, ice-bound in winter and difficult of approach. They are uninhabited and, like South Georgia, rich in wildlife.

Topography: South Georgia is extremely mountainous, and over half the island is permanently covered by snow or ice. The north-east, leeward side of the island offers a number of safe anchorages.

Vegetation and wildlife: The Territory is of great importance for sub-Antarctic flora and fauna. South Georgia is the breeding ground for some 95% of the world’s Antarctic fur seal population as well as globally significant populations of elephant seals, albatrosses, petrels and penguins. Reindeer were introduced in about 1911 by Norwegian whaling companies. Only the coastal fringes of South Georgia support vegetation, mainly in the form of tussock grass. The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands recognises the islands’ significance for global conservation and is committed to providing a sustainable policy framework, which conserves, manages and protects the islands’ rich natural environment while at the same time allowing for human activities and for the generation of revenue which allows this to be achieved. This framework was set out in the 2000 South Georgia Environmental Management Plan. The South Sandwich Islands represent a maritime ecosystem scarcely modified by human activities.

Society

Population: There is no permanent human population on South Georgia. However, there is a team of scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) based at the research station at the administrative centre of King Edward Point, replacing the small military detachment which had been there since British forces recaptured the island in 1982. This research station (built in 2001) provides valuable scientific advice to the South Georgia Government on the sustainable management of the commercial fishery around South Georgia which represents the main source of income for the government. BAS also maintains an all-year research station on Bird Island off the north-west point of South Georgia. Other officials based at King Edward Point include a marine officer/harbour master and the curators of the South Georgia Museum.

Economy

Some 90% of government revenue (totalling UK£3.9 million, 2002) is derived from the sale of fishing licences, with sales of stamps and commemorative coins, customs and harbour dues, and landing and transhipment fees contributing the rest. Main heads of expenditure are fisheries administration and research, fisheries protection, production of stamps and coins, and administration of the South Georgia Museum and other historical buildings on the island.

History

In 1775 Captain James Cook made the first landing on South Georgia and claimed it in the name of King George III. In 1904, the first whaling station was established at Grytviken, and in 1909 Britain appointed a resident magistrate. The whaling industry collapsed in the mid-1960s and the whaling stations were abandoned. In 1982, the island was briefly occupied by Argentine forces. Until 1985, both South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands were dependencies of the Falkland Islands, but from that date were constituted as a separate colony of the UK.

Concern over unregulated fishing led in 1993 to the establishment of a maritime zone of 370km around the islands and to the introduction in August 1993 of a regime for the conservation and management of the fisheries in the zone.

Administration

The Governor of the Falkland Islands is concurrently Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and is responsible for the conduct of government business, including legislation. The commissioner is assisted by the first secretary at Government House in Stanley, who is concurrently assistant commissioner and director of fisheries, and by an operations manager. The attorney-general and financial secretary from the Falkland Islands fulfil parallel roles in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

South Georgia has a rich heritage stemming from its past prominence as a staging post for Antarctic discovery and a centre for sealing and whaling. Consequently it is attracting an increasing number of tourists and other visitors interested in research. The government welcomes such visits to the territory but all visitors, irrespective of their nationality and mode of transport, must apply in advance to the commissioner for permission to do so.