South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an overseas territory of Britain, located in the Southern South America in the South Atlantic Ocean. King Edward Point is the capital of the archipelago. The British government is responsible for all defense issues.

HISTORY:- Britain annexed South Georgia in 1775 and the South Sandwich Islands in 1908. In 1982, Argentina occupied the islands for a brief period after the Falklands War. But in 1985, the British re-possessed the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Earlier thought to be administered as a Falkland Islands Dependency, later the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands became a separate territory.

GEOGRAPHY:- The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are located at 54 30 S, 37 00 W in the Southern South America. The archipelago occupies total 3,903 sq km area including Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the 11 islands of South Sandwich Islands. The lowest point is Atlantic Ocean (0 m) and the highest point is Mount Paget, located in South Georgia (2,934 m). Most of the islands are rugged and mountainous. South Georgian islands are mostly barren and have steeply, glacier-covered mountains while the South Sandwich Islands are volcanic in origin.

CLIMATE:- The climate of the islands is predominantly cold maritime. The South Sandwich Islands are much colder than the South Georgian islands.

GOVERNMENT:- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is the overseas territory of the UK. The islands are administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is also the governor of the Falkland Islands. The commissioner is the representative of the Queen Elizabeth II in the islands. There is a Magistrates Court, which is presided over by the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands. 

ECONOMY:- Harvesting finfish and krill are the major sources of income in the islands while the other sources are postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fares from tourist ships.

LANGUAGE:- English is the official language in the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

CITIES:- King Edward Point is the capital of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

POPULATION:- There is no indigenous population in the archipelago. As the military garrison withdrew from South Georgia, they had been replaced a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey. The South Sandwich Islands are still uninhabited.

TRANSPORTATION:-

Ports and terminals: Grytviken