Where Is The South Sandwich Islands

Where Is The South Sandwich Islands?

The South Sandwich Islands, are a group of actively volcanic islets in the South Atlantic Ocean, north of the Weddell Sea and 470 miles (760 km) southeast of the island of South Georgia.

They extend for 190 miles (305 km), occupy 120 square miles (310 square km), and are covered with glaciers.

Until 1985 they were included within the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) as a British dependency; thereafter they formed (with South Georgia) a British overseas territory, though their administration was still based in the Falklands.

In 1775 the British explorer Capt. James Cook sighted the uninhabited islands and claimed them for Britain; they were also claimed by Argentina after 1948.

The islands remained without a permanent population until 1976, when Argentine military personnel, despite protests from the British government, occupied the Southern Thule group of islands.

British forces removed the Argentine personnel in June 1982 during the brief Falkland Islands War. Argentina, however, continued to claim the islands.

In 1993 the British government extended the territory’s exclusive fishing zone from 12 to 200 nautical miles (22 to 370 km).

Where Is The South Sandwich Islands

Does anyone live on South Sandwich Island?

Due to its remoteness and lack of infrastructure, there is no permanent population on the islands today. The South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited, and around 1,000 people reside in South Georgia (2021 est.).

The Islands’ only official language is English, which is practically spoken by everyone daily and has been used throughout the Islands’ recorded history. It is used for the administration of the region, postage stamps, and various other purposes.

How do you get to the South Sandwich Islands?

South Georgia Island has a sub-Antarctic climate; air travel is difficult against those kinds of elements. Instead, the government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands recommends that you travel by sea voyage to explore the wonders that the island has to offer.

It’s highly recommended that you book passage on a polar-ready ship that’s designed to deal with ice and polar waters.

Such polar vessels are designed to withstand the frigid waters, allowing you to safely arrive at the island and disembark for an unforgettable adventure.

A vessel staffed by a seasoned expedition team of polar experts can immerse you in the polar environment, help you safely locate natural wildlife, and take you on amazing off-ship adventures.

Who lives in South Georgia South Sandwich Islands?

There are no permanent residents, and the terrain is inhospitable.

Given South Georgia’s remote location and lack of infrastructure, no one lives there permanently. Typically, about thirty people are living on the island at any one time, most of whom are conducting scientific research.

In summer, when more research is being done, the number rises to around forty. Outside of research, a handful of people work at the island’s only museum, and there’s also a British government officer on-site to conduct official business, a position that rotates every few years.

The lack of permanent residents could also be due to South Georgia’s lack of arable land. The island is covered in ice and snow for most of the year, and most of the terrain is steep and rocky, consisting primarily of mountains and glaciers. Vegetation does appear in summer, but it’s limited to a few varieties of grasses and mosses.

What country does South Georgia Island belong to?

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands became a British overseas territory in 1985. A commissioner, who is also the governor of the Falkland Islands, oversees the territory.

In 1993 Britain extended the territory’s exclusive fishing zone from 12 to 200 nautical miles (22 to 370 km). Cruise ships make regular visits to the island.

The South Georgia Museum, located in the former home of a whaling station manager, was established in 1992 and has exhibits on whaling, maritime and natural history, and Shackleton memorabilia, among other themes.

After a multiyear rat extermination effort led by the South Georgia Heritage Trust, scientists declared the island free of Norway, or brown, rat (Rattus norvegicus) in 2018.

The rats, which had arrived on South Georgia aboard sealing and whaling boats, preyed on many of the island’s birds; the rats’ ravenous appetites reduced albatross and penguin populations and nearly wiped out two of the island’s endemic birds—the South Georgia pitpit (Anthus antarcticus) and the South Georgia pintail

Are Falkland Islands part of UK?

The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic comprising two main islands, East and West Falkland, and approximately 778 smaller islands and islets.

The Falkland Islands has a population of around 3,200 people. They are situated 300 miles from the southern extremity of Argentina and 8,000 miles from the United Kingdom.

The Falklands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, but they are also claimed by Argentina, which calls them Las Malvinas.

The dispute between the two states over the sovereignty of the Islands escalated into conflict when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in April 1982.

Can you live on South Georgia?

There are no permanent residents, and the terrain is inhospitable. Given South Georgia’s remote location and lack of infrastructure, no one lives there permanently.

Typically, about thirty people are living on the island at any one time, most of whom are conducting scientific research. In summer, when more research is being done, the number rises to around forty.

Outside of research, a handful of people work at the island’s only museum, and there’s also a British government officer on-site to conduct official business, a position that rotates every few years.

The lack of permanent residents could also be due to South Georgia’s lack of arable land. The island is covered in ice and snow for most of the year, and most of the terrain is steep and rocky, consisting primarily of mountains and glaciers.

Vegetation does appear in summer, but it’s limited to a few varieties of grasses and mosses.

Is South Georgia in Antarctica?

South Georgia Island is located in the Southern Ocean, about halfway between the southeast coast of Argentina and the Antarctic continent but more than 1,200 miles east.

It’s a British Overseas Territory, just north of the British Antarctic Territory claim. So while South Georgia is not technically in Antarctica, it’s synonymous with Antarctic travel since most expeditions that visit South Georgia althe so visit Antarctica.

South Georgia’s nearest neighbor is the Falkland Islands, yet those are still 800 miles away. South Georgia Island is among the world’s most isolated locales as it’s only accessible by cruise ships, with no airstrip or runway.

That means it takes at least two days at sea to get to South Georgia! The South Georgia Falklands map above is a good visual example of a typical sailing route.

Because of this remote location, South Georgia Island is not a common tourist destination, even for those already traveling to Antarctica.

But we highly recommend going since it’s a relatively short detour in a region most travelers only have the opportunity to visit once.

How long does it take to get to the South Sandwich Islands?

South Georgia is a two day sail from its nearest neighbour, the Falkland Islands and a similar distance from the Antarctic Peninsula

Visitors typically reach South Georgia on a small expedition ship on a classic voyage that also includes Antarctica and the Falklands

A small number of fly-sail cruise options exist for those wanting to cut down their time at sea

For those with time and a good set of sea legs, South Georgia can be reached by yacht from the Falklands in around five days.

Cruising from Ushuaia to South Georgia

Sailing from the southern Argentinian port of Ushuaia by expedition cruise ship and incorporating visits to the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, this is the traditional way for visitors to visit the island.

This great arching loop cherrypicks the highlights of the Southern Ocean and is ranked among one of the world’s great sea journeys. This classic route remains as popular as ever.

Voyages vary in length between 17–23 days, depending on the time spent in each destination, and operate from late October to the end of the austral summer in March.

Under normal sailing conditions, it takes two days to sail from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia, and two days to cross the Scotia Sea from South Georgia to the South Shetland Islands off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula

Fly-Sail cruises

Although there is no airport in South Georgia (there simply isn’t enough flat land to build a runway), a couple of options exist for fly-sail cruises for those looking to reduce their time at sea.

A small number of departures leave every year from Stanley in the Falkland Islands. These voyages typically take in just the Falklands and South Georgia.

Air access to the Falklands is via a weekly scheduled flight with LATAM from Punta Arenas in Chile (airport code PUQ) to Mount Pleasant (airport code MSD), 34 miles (55km) from Stanley.

The flight takes 90 minutes and will save you around 36 hours at sea traveling from Ushuaia. On arrival in the Falklands, if you’re booked on a voyage you will be transferred to your waiting ship to set sail.

There is also a twice-weekly direct flight from RAF Brize Norton in the UK. The flight takes around 18 hours, with a short refueling stop in Cape Verde (passengers are not allowed to disembark here).

Civilian passengers may only request seats on these flights directly via the London office of the Falkland Islands Government. 

A small number of expedition cruise ships also offer fly-sail cruises to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Passengers fly from Punta Arenas to King George Island in the South Shetlands, allowing them to bypass the Drake Passage crossing from Ushuaia.

Sailing to South Georgia

It is 750 nautical miles from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia, a crossing under sail of approximately five days in good weather. This is expedition sailing in its truest sense: taking on everything the Southern Ocean has to offer.

A round trip from Stanley to South Georgia and back typically takes three to four weeks, depending on the usual variables of sailing in this region.

Skippered yachts are available for charter from the Falklands. Alternatively, some yachts offer set-date departures and can simply be booked by the berth.

If arriving by yacht, you’ll need to complete a detailed Yacht Application Form before your voyage from the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, and take an online assessment after viewing a permit holder briefing (expedition leaders on cruise ships must do the same).

Yachts must call at Grytviken, where the vessel is inspected by a government officer. Visitors must also submit a Post Visit Report within 30 days of departure for monitoring purposes. For more information see the website of the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands. 

Why are they called the South Sandwich Islands?

The islands were tentatively named “Sandwich Land” by Cook, although he also commented that they might be a group of islands rather than a single body of land. The name was chosen in honor of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, who was First Lord of the Admiralty.

The word “South” was later added to distinguish them from the “Sandwich Islands”, now known as the Hawaiian Islands.

Southern Thule, at the south end of the island chain, is the southernmost land on Earth outside the Antarctic Circle.

Why are the Sandwich Islands uninhabited?

Due to its remoteness and lack of infrastructure, there is no permanent population on the islands today. The South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited, and around 1,000 people reside in South Georgia (2021 est.).

South Georgia is not uninhabited. There are settlements there, notably at Leith and Grytviken (now called King Edward Point, the capital) and there’s a much-expanded port facility in recent years.

The permanent population of South Georgia is about 30 people. The annual revenue is about £4.5 million, made up of fishing licenses and also a growing tourist trade from cruise ships.

Naturally, the weather largely closes South Georgia off for at least half of the year, so don’t expect McDonald’s and a supermarket, and this puts people off going and living there unless there’s an actual job to do. But yes, South Georgia is inhabited and does have a permanent population.

What are the Sandwich Islands called today?

Hawaiian Islands

After 1840 the name Sandwich Islands was slowly replaced by the name Hawaiian Islands. The important change to “Hawaiian Islands” in the 1840 constitution appears to be based upon at least three identifiable factors.

What is happening in the South Sandwich Islands?

The 2021 South Sandwich Islands earthquakes were a pair of powerful earthquakes followed by about a thousand strong aftershocks which struck along the South Sandwich Trench in August 2021. The quakes measured 7.5 and 8.1 on the moment magnitude scale according to the United States Geological Survey.

The South Sandwich Islands are a group of extremely remote, very small, uninhabited islands located just north of Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. Despite being surrounded by and partially covered with ice, the islands are the product of volcanic eruptions and are home to active volcanoes.

The islands are also in an active earthquake zone due to their location in the Scotia Subduction Zone, one of the tectonic plates that make up Earth’s outermost layer.

On August 12, 2021, a series of powerful earthquakes shook the South Sandwich Islands. The initial earthquake measured magnitude 7.5 Mw. Just three minutes later, an 8.1 Mw quake followed, rupturing the shallow subduction zone.

The entire event lasted an unusually long 260 seconds. The magnitude 8.1 Mw quake ties as the largest earthquake ever recorded in this region and the Atlantic Ocean as a whole, along with a 1929 earthquake in this same region.

Because the 8.1 Mw quake occurred so closely behind the 7.5 Mw event, the first quake had initially masked the second quake’s seismic signature. It was the unpredicted, global-spreading tsunami that gave scientists insight into the nature of the earthquake.

Research models showed that the 7.5 Mw event would not have caused a tsunami of this extensive nature, so it helped reveal the larger, longer quake as the cause.

Luckily, no one was injured and no damage occurred from either the quake or the tsunami. Because of the remoteness of the uninhabited South Sandwich Islands, no photos from the 2021 earthquakes or resulting tsunamis exist.

What animals live on the South Sandwich Islands?

In a remote and wind-swept area of the Southern Ocean, over 2,500 kilometers east of South America, sits South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The islands and the surrounding seas are teeming with wildlife, including penguins, whales, fur seals, and albatrosses. Such globally significant wildlife and the fact that a large proportion of these waters are isolated and unexploited by people makes the area ripe for strong conservation efforts. 

Where are the Sandwich Islands?

South Sandwich Islands group of actively volcanic islets in the South Atlantic Ocean north of the Weddell Sea and 470 miles (760 km) southeast of the island of South Georgia. They extend for 190 miles (305 km) occupy 120 square miles (310 square km) and are covered with glaciers.

Nestled in the remote Southern Ocean north of mainland Antarctica are South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The islands remain an official British territory and are most famous as polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s final resting place.

The South Sandwich Islands comprise 11 mostly volcanic islands (excluding tiny satellite islands and offshore rocks), with some active volcanoes.

They form an island arc running north–south in the region 56°18’59°27’S, 26°23’28°08’W, between about 350 and 500 mi (300 and 430 nmi; 560 and 800 km) southeast of South Georgia.

The northernmost of the South Sandwich Islands form the Traversay Islands and Candlemas Islands groups, while the southernmost makeup Southern Thule. The three largest islands Saunders, Montagu, and Bristol lie between the two.

The islands’ highest point is Mount Belinda (1,370 m or 4,495 ft) on Montagu Island. The fourth highest peak, Mount Michael (990 m or 3,248 ft) on Saunders Island has a persistent lava lake, known to occur at only eight volcanoes in the world.

The South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited, though a permanently staffed Argentine research station was located on Thule Island from 1976 to 1982.

Automatic weather stations are on Thule Island and Zavodovski. To the northwest of Zavodovski Island is the Protector Shoal, a submarine volcano.

When should I go to South Georgia?

So, when is the best time of the year to visit South Georgia Island? Timing is very important for an expedition to South Georgia.

Winter conditions make for much stronger and higher waves that wash ashore, making it difficult to navigate the surrounding waters for even the most well-equipped vessels like the Ultramarine.

Keep in mind that, since South Georgia is in the Southern Ocean, it’s part of the Southern Hemisphere.

Therefore, summer and winter are opposite times of the year for travelers who are venturing to the islands from places like North America or Europe.

For that reason, the best times to visit South Georgia lie between November, December, and January.

This is the time of year when conditions are calmer, allowing for a safe approach of the islands from the sea, and typically wind gusts are less extreme for adventurers roaming across the island’s shores in search of those wildlife safari experiences.

Make sure you have your travel equipment packed and your camera ready to snap some amazing photos!

Was Hawaii ever called the Sandwich Islands?

The date of the first settlements of the Hawaiian Islands is a topic of continuing debate. Archaeological evidence seems to indicate a settlement as early as 124 AD.

Captain James Cook, RN, visited the islands on January 18, 1778, and named them the “Sandwich Islands” in honor of the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who as the First Lord of the Admiralty was one of his sponsors.

This name was in use until the 1840s when the local name “Hawaii” gradually began to take precedence.

The Hawaiian Islands have a total land area of 6,423.4 square miles (16,636.5 km2). Except for Midway, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States, these islands and islets are administered as Hawaii the 50th state of the United States.

Is there a volcano in the South Sandwich Islands?

Michael volcano is a young and frequently active stratovolcano dominating the glaciated Saunders Island located in the center of the South Sandwich Islands.

This is a list of active and extinct volcanoes in the South Sandwich Islands.

NameElevationLocationLast eruption
metersfeetCoordinates
Bristol Island1100360959.03°S 26.58°W1956
Candlemas Island550180457.08°S 26.67°W1911
Mount Hodson1005329756.70°S 21.15°W1930
Leskov Island19062356.67°S 28.13°WHolocene
Mount Michael990324857.78°S 26.45°W2005
Mount Belinda1370449558.42°S 26.33°W2006
Protector Shoal-27-8955.92°S 28.08°W1962
Thule Island1075352659.45°S 27.37°W1986
Mount Curry551180856.30°S 27.57°W1819

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