South Georgia

{{Main|History of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands}}

The island of South Georgia was probably discovered in 1675 by Anthony de la Roché,{{cite journal |last1=Hayward |first1=R.J.C. |title=Glacier fluctuations in South Georgia, 1883–1974 |journal=British Antarctic Survey Bulletin |date=1983 |issue=52 |page=47 |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/222836762.pdf |access-date=25 December 2020}}L. Ivanov and N. Ivanova. Roché Island / South Georgia. In: [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364087925_The_World_of_Antarctica The World of Antarctica.] Generis Publishing, 2022. pp. 68-70. {{ISBN|979-8-88676-403-1}} 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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.argentina-rree.com/7/7-104.htm|title=Historia General de las Relaciones Exteriores de la República Argentina: Georgias del Sur|website=www.argentina-rree.com|publisher=Instituto Iberoamérica y el Mundo|language=es|trans-title=General History of Foreign Relations of the Argentine Republic: South Georgia Islands|access-date=18 July 2017|archive-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923174944/http://www.argentina-rree.com/7/7-104.htm|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |title=The Living Edens -- South Georgia Island -- Ice and Isolation |url=https://www.pbs.org/edens/southgeorgia/unique.html |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.pbs.org}}{{Cite web |title=DFB |url=https://www.falklandsbiographies.org/biographies/roche_antonio |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.falklandsbiographies.org}} According to Argentine historians, it was explored on 29 June 1756, St Peter's Day, hence its Spanish name Isla San Pedro, literally "St Peter's Island".{{cite book | language = es |last= Destéfani |first= Laurio Hedelvio |date= 1982 |title= Malvinas, Georgias y Sandwich del Sur ante el conflicto con Gran Bretaña |location= Buenos Aires |publisher= Edipress |page= 111 |isbn= 9500169002}}

The mariner Captain James Cook in {{HMS|Resolution|Cook|6}} 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.Kippis, Andrew. The Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook, p. 254. United Kingdom, G. Newnes, limited, 1904.

After making a foot crossing of the island with Tom Crean and Frank Worsley,{{cite news|author=Jonathan Amos|title=Walking in Shackleton's footsteps|work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41030235|date=4 February 2022|access-date=4 February 2022}} Ernest Shackleton organised the rescue of his party from Elephant Island following the disaster that befell the 1916 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, which he led.{{cite book|last= Shackleton |first= E. |date= 1919 |title= South |pages= 208–213 |title-link= South (book) |location= London |publisher= W. Heinemann |oclc= 715091038 }} He is buried in the cemetery at Grytviken alongside Frank Wild.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8917630/Forgotten-hero-of-Antarctic-exploration-finally-laid-to-rest-beside-his-boss-Sir-Ernest-Shackleton.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128051949/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/8917630/Forgotten-hero-of-Antarctic-exploration-finally-laid-to-rest-beside-his-boss-Sir-Ernest-Shackleton.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-11-28 |title=Forgotten hero Frank Wild of Antarctic exploration finally laid to rest, beside his 'boss' Sir Ernest Shackleton |newspaper=Telegraph |location=London, UK |date=2011-11-27 |access-date=2018-05-21 |df=dmy-all}}

Commercial sealing was conducted on the island between 1786 and 1913. During that period 131 sealing visits are recorded, eight of which ended when the vessel was wrecked.R.K. Headland, (ed.) Historical Antarctic sealing industry, Scott Polar Research Institute (Cambridge University), 2018, p. 168, {{ISBN|978-0-901021-26-7}}. Modern industrial sealing associated with whaling stations was carried out between 1909 and 1964. Sealing era relics include iron try pots, hut ruins, graves and inscriptions. The South Georgia Museum was established on the island in 1992.{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|date=20 January 2022|title=South Georgia: The museum at the end of the world reopens for business|last=Amos|first=Owen|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60010608|access-date=21 January 2022}}

The island was surveyed by explorer Duncan Carse. He organised and led the South Georgia Survey of 1951–1957, surveying much of the interior of the island. Mount Carse and Carse Point are named after him. In 1961 he lived as a hermit in a remote part of South Georgia. Carse built a house at Ducloz Head on the southern coast of the island, intending to live there through the winter. However, in May, three months into the experiment, surge waves destroyed his camp. He managed to salvage enough gear to survive the winter until making contact with a ship 116 days later.{{Cite book |last1=Poncet |first1=Sally |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/76990564 |title=A visitor's guide to South Georgia |date=2005 |publisher=WildGuides |first2=Kim |last2=Crosbie |isbn=1-903657-08-3 |location=Great Britain |oclc=76990564}}

His knowledge and mapping proved helpful to the British during the Falklands conflicts.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

{{Main article|Invasion of South Georgia}}

On 19 March 1982, a group of Argentinians arrived at Leith Harbour and raised the Argentine flag on the island. On 3 April, the second day of the Falklands War, Argentine naval forces occupied the island. South Georgia was retaken by British forces on 25 April during Operation Paraquet.{{cite book|author-link=Lawrence Freedman|last=Freedman|first=Lawrence|title=The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: The origins of the Falklands war|page=222|publisher=Routledge|year=2005|isbn=0-7146-5206-7}}

File:Birchflow SG.jpg

File:South Georgia+bathymetry.png

File:Grytviken church.jpg]]

The island's climate is classified as an ET or polar tundra climate on 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,{{cite journal |last1=Boyd |first1=I. L. |last2=Walker |first2=T. R. |last3=Poncet |first3=J. |name-list-style=amp |year=1996 |title=Status of southern elephant seals at South Georgia |journal=Antarctic Science |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=237–244 |doi=10.1017/S0954102096000338|bibcode=1996AntSc...8..237B |s2cid=140165365 }} fur seals,{{cite journal |last1=Boyd |first1=I. L. |last2=McCafferty |first2=D. J. |last3=Walker |first3=T. R. |name-list-style=amp |year=1997 |title=Variation in foraging effort by lactating Antarctic fur seals: response to simulated increased foraging costs |journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=135–144 |doi=10.1007/s002650050326|bibcode=1997BEcoS..40..135B |s2cid=27894509 }}{{cite journal |last1=Boyd |first1=I. L. |last2=McCafferty |first2=D. J. |last3=Reid |first3=K. |last4=Taylor |first4=R. |last5=Walker |first5=T. R. |name-list-style=amp |year=1998 |title=Dispersal of male and female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella |journal=Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |volume=55 |issue=4 |pages=845–852 |doi=10.1139/f97-314|bibcode=1998CJFAS..55..845B }} and king penguins. The island is home to the South Georgia pintail and the South Georgia pipit, which are endemic to the island.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44046472|title=Rodents driven from South Georgia|last=Amos|first=Jonathan|date=9 May 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=9 May 2018}}

There are 25 native vascular plants on South Georgia, and 76 non-native species have been recorded.{{Cite book |last=Galbraith |first=Deirdre |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/714041780 |title=A field guide to the flora of South Georgia |date=2011 |publisher=South Georgia Heritage Trust |isbn=978-0-9564546-0-7 |location=Great Britain |oclc=714041780}}{{Cite book |last1=Upson |first1=Rebecca |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1007331209 |title=Field guide to the introduced flora of South Georgia |last2=Myer |first2=Bradley |last3=Floyd |first3=Kelvin |last4=Lee |first4=Jennifer |last5=Clubbe |first5=Colin |date=15 March 2018 |isbn=978-1-84246-652-0 |location=Richmond, Surrey, UK |oclc=1007331209}}

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. At sea level strandflats have been described.{{cite report |last1=Chalmers |first1=M. |last2=Clapperton |first2=M.A. |year=1970 |title=Geomorphology of the Stromness Bay – Cumberland Bay area, South Georgia |url=http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/509217/1/Geomorphology%20of%20the%20Stromness%20Bay-Cumberland%20Bay%20area%2C%20South%20Georgia%20-%20BAS%20Scientific%20Report%2070.pdf |series=British Antarctic Survey Scientific Reports |volume=70 |pages=1–25 |access-date=29 January 2018 }}

In 2013, teams of Norwegian government shooters and Sámi reindeer herders culled all 3,500 reindeer on the island. The animals had been introduced by Norwegian whalers in the early 20th century for food and sport hunting, but were later seen as a pest, damaging the island's flora and wider ecosystem. Karl Erik Kilander, the project manager, said the culled reindeer were frozen and taken to the Falkland Islands where they were sold to local residents and cruise ship operators.{{cite journal |last1=Bazilchuk |first1=Nancy |title=Reining in Reindeer on South Georgia Island |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment |date=2013 |volume=11 |issue=4 |page=176 |jstor=23470940 }}

File:Sheathnest.jpg in nest]]

In 2018, after a multiyear extermination effort, the island was declared free of invasive rodents and the number of South Georgia pipits had clearly increased.{{Cite news|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/rat-begone-record-eradication-effort-rids-sub-antarctic-island-invasive-rodents|title=Rat begone: Record eradication effort rids sub-Antarctic island of invasive rodents|last=Warren|first=Matt|date=8 May 2018|work=Science|access-date=9 May 2018|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-exterminate-rats-on-an-island|title=The Intrepid Rat-Sniffing Terriers of South Georgia Island|date=17 May 2018|website=Atlas Obscura}}{{cite web | url= https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/2018/05/birdlife-recovering-rat-free-island | title= Birdlife Recovering on Rat-Free Island | last= Marris | first= Emma | date= 11 May 2018 | work= National Geographic | access-date= 6 July 2020 }} In the central north coast, five years after poisoning the rats, the populations of snowy sheathbills, South Georgia pintails and Wilson's storm petrels had grown.{{cite journal |last1= Martin |first1= A.R. |last2= Richardson |first2= M.G. |date= 2019 |title= Rodent eradication scaled up: clearing rats and mice from South Georgia |journal= Oryx |volume= 53 |issue= 1 |pages= 27–35 |doi= 10.1017/S003060531700028X |s2cid= 43274303 |issn = 0030-6053|doi-access= free |url= https://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/files/18036425/rodent_eradication_scaled_up_clearing_rats_and_mice_from_south_georgia.pdf }}

The island lies in the path of large icebergs drifting northward from Antarctica. Iceberg A-38 grounded off the island in 2004, resulting in indirect but severe effects on local wildlife by disturbing life on the seafloor and blocking foraging routes of seals and penguins. In 2020, the colossal {{convert|4200|km2|sqmi|adj=on}} Iceberg A-68, similar in size to the island itself, was initially believed to be on a similar collision course but broke apart before collision with the island.{{cite news|publisher=BBC|date=4 November 2020|title=A68 iceberg on collision path with South Georgia|author=Jonathan Amos|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54798031|access-date=4 November 2020}}{{cite news |date=10 November 2020 |title=Giant berg on collision course with South Georgia |author=European Space Agency |author-link=European Space Agency |url=https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/11/Giant_berg_on_collision_course_with_South_Georgia |access-date=10 November 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/penguins-spared-after-mammoth-iceberg-splits-into-smaller-pieces-11612616401 |title=Penguins Spared After Mammoth Iceberg Splits Into Smaller Pieces |date=6 February 2021 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=6 February 2021}}

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Grytviken/King Edward Point (1991–2020 normals, extremes 2006–2023)

|collapsed =

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 22.8

|Feb record high C = 22.4

|Mar record high C = 22.8

|Apr record high C = 20.8

|May record high C = 17.6

|Jun record high C = 14.2

|Jul record high C = 14.9

|Aug record high C = 13.5

|Sep record high C = 15.5

|Oct record high C = 20.2

|Nov record high C = 20.4

|Dec record high C = 27.1

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 10.3

|Feb high C = 10.6

|Mar high C = 9.3

|Apr high C = 6.3

|May high C = 3.6

|Jun high C = 2.4

|Jul high C = 1.8

|Aug high C = 2.8

|Sep high C = 4.8

|Oct high C = 7.0

|Nov high C = 8.8

|Dec high C = 9.9

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 5.8

|Feb mean C = 6.1

|Mar mean C = 5.2

|Apr mean C = 2.6

|May mean C = 0.4

|Jun mean C = -0.4

|Jul mean C = -1.3

|Aug mean C = -0.7

|Sep mean C = 0.8

|Oct mean C = 2.8

|Nov mean C = 4.4

|Dec mean C = 5.4

|Jan low C = 2.4

|Feb low C = 2.6

|Mar low C = 1.9

|Apr low C = -0.2

|May low C = -2.3

|Jun low C = -3.1

|Jul low C = -4.3

|Aug low C = -3.7

|Sep low C = -2.4

|Oct low C = -0.8

|Nov low C = 0.9

|Dec low C = 2.1

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -2.1

|Feb record low C = -2.7

|Mar record low C = -3.7

|Apr record low C = -6.9

|May record low C = -9.8

|Jun record low C = -10.1

|Jul record low C = -15.1

|Aug record low C = -12.4

|Sep record low C = -10.9

|Oct record low C = -9.2

|Nov record low C = -5.6

|Dec record low C = -3.0

|year record low C =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 92

|Feb precipitation mm = 114

|Mar precipitation mm = 136

|Apr precipitation mm = 139

|May precipitation mm = 137

|Jun precipitation mm = 135

|Jul precipitation mm = 149

|Aug precipitation mm = 149

|Sep precipitation mm = 92

|Oct precipitation mm = 80

|Nov precipitation mm = 93

|Dec precipitation mm = 88

|year precipitation mm = 1394

|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 12

|Feb precipitation days = 13

|Mar precipitation days = 14

|Apr precipitation days = 14

|May precipitation days = 12

|Jun precipitation days = 15

|Jul precipitation days = 15

|Aug precipitation days = 14

|Sep precipitation days = 11

|Oct precipitation days = 12

|Nov precipitation days = 11

|Dec precipitation days = 11

|year precipitation days =

|Jan humidity = 72

|Feb humidity = 69

|Mar humidity = 69

|Apr humidity = 70

|May humidity = 74

|Jun humidity = 75

|Jul humidity = 74

|Aug humidity = 73

|Sep humidity = 72

|Oct humidity = 70

|Nov humidity = 69

|Dec humidity = 71

|year humidity =

|Jan sun = 152

|Feb sun = 160

|Mar sun = 127

|Apr sun = 66

|May sun = 34

|Jun sun = 12

|Jul sun = 22

|Aug sun = 74

|Sep sun = 123

|Oct sun = 171

|Nov sun = 174

|Dec sun = 167

|year sun =

|source 1 = Globalbioclimatics/Salvador Rivas-Martínez (precipitation 1901–1950){{cite web |url=http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/pdf/ar-georg.pdf |title=Temp/Rain 1901–1950 |publisher=Globalbioclimatics |access-date=10 December 2018 |date=Apr 2012 |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801113052/http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/pdf/ar-georg.pdf |url-status=dead }} DMI/Danish Meteorology Institute (sun, humidity, and precipitation days 1931–1960){{cite web | last1 = Cappelen | first1 = John | last2 = Jensen | first2 = Jens | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130427173827/http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf | archive-date = 27 April 2013 | url = http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf | work = Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931–1960) | title = South Georgia–Grytviken | page = 242 | publisher = Danish Meteorological Institute | language = da | access-date = 10 December 2018}} Météo Climat (extremes){{cite web|url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/station-202.php|title=Weather extremes for Grytviken|publisher=Météo Climat|access-date=21 March 2024}}

|source 2 =Starlings Roost Weather{{cite web |url=http://starlingsroost.ddns.net/weather/worldclimate/graphs.php?climate=9120&code=88903

|title= GRYTVIKEN, SOUTH GEORGIA Climate: 1991–2020

|publisher=Starlings Roost Weather

|access-date= 23 February 2025}}

}}

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Bird Island (Köppen ET)

|collapsed = Yes

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|Jan record high C = 11.2

|Feb record high C = 10.7

|Mar record high C = 10.5

|Apr record high C = 10.2

|May record high C = 6.9

|Jun record high C = 6.0

|Jul record high C = 5.9

|Aug record high C = 4.8

|Sep record high C = 7.5

|Oct record high C = 10.4

|Nov record high C = 9.1

|Dec record high C = 9.4

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 5.5

|Feb high C = 5.6

|Mar high C = 4.4

|Apr high C = 1.9

|May high C = −0.5

|Jun high C = −1.8

|Jul high C = −2.4

|Aug high C = −1.9

|Sep high C = −0.2

|Oct high C = 1.6

|Nov high C = 3.4

|Dec high C = 4.5

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 3.1

|Feb mean C = 3.5

|Mar mean C = 2.5

|Apr mean C = 0.4

|May mean C = -2.1

|Jun mean C = -3.2

|Jul mean C = -3.9

|Aug mean C = -3.3

|Sep mean C = -1.8

|Oct mean C = -0.2

|Nov mean C = 1.0

|Dec mean C = 2.0

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 0.7

|Feb low C = 1.4

|Mar low C = 0.6

|Apr low C = −1.0

|May low C = −3.8

|Jun low C = −4.6

|Jul low C = −5.4

|Aug low C = −4.8

|Sep low C = −3.4

|Oct low C = −1.9

|Nov low C = −1.5

|Dec low C = −0.6

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -2

|Feb record low C = -1.7

|Mar record low C = -3.2

|Apr record low C = -4.6

|May record low C = -7.3

|Jun record low C = -8.5

|Jul record low C = -11.4

|Aug record low C = -10.6

|Sep record low C = -8.5

|Oct record low C = -6.6

|Nov record low C = -4.3

|Dec record low C = -2.8

|year record low C =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 84

|Feb precipitation mm = 80

|Mar precipitation mm = 95

|Apr precipitation mm = 123

|May precipitation mm = 108

|Jun precipitation mm = 108

|Jul precipitation mm = 120

|Aug precipitation mm = 114

|Sep precipitation mm = 107

|Oct precipitation mm = 98

|Nov precipitation mm = 88

|Dec precipitation mm = 77

|year precipitation mm = 1204

|source 1 = Climatic Research Unit, UEA{{cite web |url=http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/~timm/cty/obs/data/obs.South_Georgia.htm |title=Climate Normals |publisher=Climatic Research Unit, UEA |access-date=10 July 2011 |date=July 2011}}

|source 2= Météo Climat{{cite web|url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/station-1493.php|title=Weather extremes for Bird Island|publisher=Météo Climat|access-date=11 November 2019}}

|date=July 2011

}}

• Anthony de la Roché
• List of landforms of South Georgia
• Ryan Reef
• Storer Reef
• Sutton Crag
• Whalers Passage

{{reflist}}

• {{cite EB1911|wstitle=South Georgia |volume= 25 | page = 513 |ref=none}}
• {{cite book |last1=Venables |first1=Stephen |author1-link=Stephen Venables |title=Island at the Edge of the World: a South Georgia odyssey |date=1991 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |location=London |isbn=978-03405-5-600-9 |page=|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/islandatedgeofwo0000vena_o0c1/page/n5/mode/2up |ref=none}}
• Wilkin, Jack. et al. (2024) South Georgia marine productivity over the past 15 ka and implications for glacial evolution. Journal of Micropalaeontology 43(1): 165-186. https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-165-2024

{{SGSSI}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Islands of South Georgia

Category:Seal hunting