User:Kahastok/South Georgia
 | This is not a Wikipedia article: This is a workpage, a collection of material and work in progress that may or may not be incorporated into an article. It should not necessarily be considered factual or authoritative. |
| Disputed island | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Geography | |
| Location | South Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 54°15′S 36°45′W / 54.250°S 36.750°W |
| Administration | |
United Kingdom | |
South Georgia (Spanish: Isla San Pedro) is an uninhabited island in the South Atlantic Ocean, located 1,390 kilometres (860 mi; 750 nmi) from the Falkland Islands and 2,150 kilometres (1,340 mi; 1,160 nmi) from Tierra del Fuego.
The island is 170 kilometres (110 mi) long and between 2 and 40 kilometres (1.2 and 24.9 mi) wide, with a total land area of 3,756 square kilometres (1,450 sq mi).[1] The highest peak is Mount Paget at 2,934 metres (9,626 ft). The island is largely covered with glaciers, ice caps and snowfields.[2]
The island is administered by the United Kingdom as part of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, though Argentina also claims sovereignty.
Geography
[edit]South Georgia is very mountainous, with eleven peaks over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in height, divided between the Allardyce Range and Salvesen Range. The mountains are flanked by deep glaciers: over 75% of the island is covered with snow and ice year-round.[2][3]
The island is an important home to elephant seals, albatrosses, penguins and petrels.[3]
Population
[edit]In the early twentieth century, the island supported a whaling station at Grytviken and a population of 2,000. In modern times, the island has become uninhabited other than by temporary staff of the British Antarctic Survey, which maintains stations at King Edward Point and Bird Island.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Inventory of European data sources relevant for coastal erosion assessment in Europe"; p. 121; European Commission; 2002; Retrieved 12 August 2010.
- ^ a b c The island; Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; accessed 12 August 2010.
- ^ a b United Kingdom - South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Commonwealth Secretariat; accessed 12 August 2010