Map of South Georgia and the Islands
South Georgia and the Islands is a country in South America with its capital at King Edward Point, home to about 35 people across 4,066 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns and 2 ports recorded for South Georgia and the Islands in YearMaps.
- Population
- 35
- Area
- 4,066 km²
- Capital
- King Edward Point
- Continent
- South America
Interactive Map of South Georgia and the Islands
Centred on King Edward Point at 54.2806° S, 36.5080° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About South Georgia and the Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is a British Overseas Territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands. South Georgia is 165 kilometres (103 mi) long and 35 kilometres (22 mi) wide and is by far the largest island in the territory. The South Sandwich Islands lie about 700 kilometres (430 mi) southeast of South Georgia. The territory's total land area is 3,903 km2 (1,507 sq mi). The Falkland Islands are about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) west from its nearest point.
The South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited, and a very small non-permanent population resides on South Georgia. There are no scheduled passenger flights or ferries to or from the territory, although visits by cruise liners to South Georgia are increasingly popular, with several thousand visitors each summer.
The United Kingdom claimed sovereignty over South Georgia in 1775 and the South Sandwich Islands in 1908. The territory of "South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands" was formed in 1985; previously, it had been governed as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. Argentina claimed South Georgia in 1927 and claimed the South Sandwich Islands in 1938.
Argentina maintained a naval station, Corbeta Uruguay, on Thule Island in the South Sandwich Islands from 1976 until 1982 when it was closed by the Royal Navy. The Argentine claim over South Georgia contributed to the 1982 Falklands War, during which Argentine forces briefly occupied the island. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands as part of the Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of South Georgia and the Islands
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.
- 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.
- Highest point
- Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- NA.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Fish.
- Land use
- Other: 100% (2018 est.)
- 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.
- Geographic note
- The north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
South Georgia and the Islands in Depth
History
The island of South Georgia was first sighted and visited in April 1675 by Anthony de la Roché, a London merchant and (despite his French name) an Englishman, who spent a fortnight in one of the island's bays. The island appeared as Roche Island on early maps. The commercial Spanish ship León, operating out of Saint-Malo, sighted it on 28 June or 29 June 1756.
James Cook circumnavigated the island in 1775 and made the first landing. He claimed the territory for the Kingdom of Great Britain, naming it the "Isle of Georgia" in honour of King George III. British arrangements for the government of South Georgia were established under 1843 British letters patent.
Geography
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are a collection of islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. Most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous. At higher elevations, the islands are permanently covered with ice and snow.
The South Georgia Group lies about 1,390 kilometres (860 mi; 750 nmi) east-southeast of the Falkland Islands, at 54°–55°S, 36°–38°W. It comprises South Georgia Island itself, by far the largest island in the territory, and the islands that immediately surround it and some remote and isolated islets to the west and east-southeast. It has a total land area of 3,756 square kilometres (1,450 sq mi), including satellite islands, but excluding the South Sandwich Islands which form a separate island group.
Climate
The climate is classified as polar, and the weather is highly variable and harsh, making a tundra (ET) in Köppen climate classification. Typical daily maximum temperatures in South Georgia at sea level are around 0 °C (32 °F) in winter (August) and 8 °C (46.4 °F) in summer (January). Winter minimum temperatures are typically about −5 °C (23 °F) and rarely dip below −10 °C (14 °F). Annual precipitation in South Georgia is about 1,500 mm (59.1 in), much of which falls as sleet or snow, which is possible the entire year. Inland, the snow line in summer is at an altitude of about 300 m (984 ft).
Economy
Commercial sealing occurred on the islands between 1817 and 1909. During that period 20 visits are recorded by sealing vessels.
Economic activity in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is limited. The territory has revenues of £6.3 million, 80% of which is derived from fishing licences (2020 figures). Other sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps and coins, tourism, and customs and harbour dues.
Fishing takes place around South Georgia and in adjacent waters in some months of the year, with fishing licences sold by the territory for Patagonian toothfish, cod icefish and krill. Fishing licences bring in millions of pounds a year, most of which is spent on fishery protection and research.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
South Georgia and the Islands: Key Facts
| Currency | pound sterling |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Head of government | Nigel Haywood |
| Calling code | +500 |
| Internet domain | .gs |
| Highest point | Mount Paget |
Facts from Wikidata Q35086 (CC0).
History of South Georgia and the Islands: Empires and States
The atlas records 4 polities whose mapped territory included part of South Georgia and the Islands, from British Colonial Empire in 1775 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| British Colonial Empire | 1775–1999 CE | Nearly all |
| The British Empire | 1775–1999 CE | Nearly all |
| British Overseas Territories | 2000–2024 CE | Nearly all |
| Commonwealth of Nations | 2000–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of South Georgia and the Islands
South Georgia and the Islands on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting South Georgia and the Islands
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) are a chain of subantarctic islands in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. The islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom: they have no permanent residents and their administration is physically based in the Falklands, but since 1985 they have been a separate jurisdiction.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in South Georgia and the Islands
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grytviken | 99 | — | Populated place |
Ports in South Georgia and the Islands
2 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Olav Harbor | — | Very Small | Antarctica & Southern Ocean | point_of_interest |
| 2 | Stromness Harbor | — | Very Small | Antarctica & Southern Ocean | point_of_interest |
Largest Islands of South Georgia and the Islands
1 island recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Georgia | 5,004 km² | Island |
South Georgia
Island · 5,004 km²
South Georgia is an island in Seven seas (open ocean) (Southern Atlantic Ocean), covering an estimated 5,004 km². It extends across the South Georgia and the Islands and the United Kingdom.
South Georgia is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies around 1,400 kilometres (870 mi; 756 nmi) east of the Falkland Islands. Stretching in the east–west direction, South Georgia is around 170 kilometres (106 mi) long and has a maximum width of 35 kilometres (22 mi). The terrain is mountainous, with the central ridge rising to 2,935 metres (9,629 ft) at Mount Paget. The northern coast is indented with numerous bays and fjords, serving as harbours.
Discovered by Europeans in 1675, South Georgia had no indigenous population due to its harsh climate and remoteness. Captain James Cook in HMS Resolution made the first landing, survey and mapping of the island. On 17 January 1775, Cook claimed it a British possession, naming it "Isle of Georgia" after King George III. Through its history, it served as a whaling and seal hunting base, with intermittent population scattered in several whaling bases, the most important historically being Grytviken.
Adapted from Wikipedia: South Georgia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 5,004 km²
- Size rank
- #191 of 445 islands
- Region
- Seven seas (open ocean)
- Subregion
- Southern Atlantic Ocean
- Countries
- South Georgia and the Islands, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- -54.2154°, -36.8689°
- Ranges:
- Cuchilla Grande (South America), Shackleton Range (Antarctica)
More about South Georgia
Geography, climate and fauna
The island's climate is classified as ET or polar tundra climate by the Köppen-Geiger classification system. It has no tree cover, and there is generally snow on the island during the winter months (April–November). The terrain is mountainous, with a central ridge and many fjords and bays along the coast. South Georgia is a breeding ground for elephant seals, fur seals, and king penguins. The island is home to the South Georgia pintail and the South Georgia pipit, which are endemic to the island.
There are 25 native vascular plants on South Georgia, and 76 non-native species have been recorded.
The island's topography includes a stepped sequence of flat surfaces interpreted as wave-cut platforms formed when sea level was higher relative to the island.
History
The island of South Georgia was probably discovered in 1675 by Anthony de la Roché, a London merchant, and was named Roche Island on a number of early maps. It was sighted by a commercial Spanish ship named León operating out of Saint-Malo on 28 or 29 June 1756. According to Argentine and some Brazilian historians, it was explored on 29 June 1756, St Peter's Day, hence its Spanish and Portuguese names Isla San Pedro and Ilha São Pedro, literally 'St Peter's Island'.
The mariner Captain James Cook in HMS Resolution made the first landing, survey and mapping of South Georgia. As mandated by the Admiralty, on 17 January 1775 he took possession for Britain and renamed the island 'Isle of Georgia' for King George III.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: South Georgia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
South Georgia: Key Facts
| Area | 3,756 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 30 |
| Highest point | Mount Paget |
| Surrounded by | Atlantic Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q1137202 (CC0).
Visiting South Georgia
South Georgia Island is a sub-Antarctic island administered by the United Kingdom as part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies 1390 km southeast of the Falkland Islands and 2150 km from South America, and is 170 km long by 35 km wide with a mountainous interior. Its bays and islets are home to vast numbers of birds and marine life, but there is no permanent human population, and South Georgia's remoteness makes it a rare destination for tourists.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: South Georgia Island (CC BY-SA 4.0).
More Maps in South America
South Georgia and the Islands: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of South Georgia and the Islands?
- The capital of South Georgia and the Islands is King Edward Point.
- What is the population of South Georgia and the Islands?
- South Georgia and the Islands has a population of about 35, the #225 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: Wikidata.
- How big is South Georgia and the Islands?
- South Georgia and the Islands covers 4,066 km², ranking #176 by area.
- Which continent is South Georgia and the Islands in?
- South Georgia and the Islands is in South America.
- What is the largest city in South Georgia and the Islands?
- Grytviken is the largest city in South Georgia and the Islands, with a metropolitan population of about 99.