GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

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:
South America

Area:
total: 3,903 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 3,903 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 11 islands

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
NA
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
0 sq km
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

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

Environment - current issues:
NA