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[[File:Sgo topo.png|thumb|left|Topography of South Georgia Island]]
[[File:Sgo topo.png|thumb|left|Topography of South Georgia Island]]
[[File:Grytviken church.jpg|thumb|right|Church at Grytviken]]
[[File:Grytviken church.jpg|thumb|right|Church at Grytviken]]
The island is classified as an ET or polar tundra climate on the [[Köppen climate classification|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. Additionally, South Georgia is a breeding ground for [[elephant seal]]s,<ref>Boyd, I. L., Walker, T. R., & Poncet, J. (1996). Status of southern elephant seals at South Georgia. Antarctic Science, 8(3), 237–244. {{doi|10.1017/S0954102096000338}}</ref> [[fur seal]]s,<ref>Boyd, I. L., McCafferty, D. J., & Walker, T. R. (1997). Variation in foraging effort by lactating Antarctic fur seals: response to simulated increased foraging costs. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 40(3), 135–144. {{doi|10.1007/s002650050326}}</ref><ref>Boyd, I. L., McCafferty, D. J., Reid, K., Taylor, R., & Walker, T. R. (1998). Dispersal of male and female Antarctic fur seals (''Arctocephalus gazella''). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 55(4), 845–852. {{doi|10.1139/f97-314}}</ref> and [[king penguin]]s. The island is home to the [[South Georgia pintail|South Georgia Pintail]] and the [[South Georgia pipit|South Georgia Pipit]], the only known habitat for these birds.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44046472|title=Rodents driven from South Georgia|last=Amos|first=Jonathan|date=2018-05-09|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-05-09|language=en-GB}}</ref>It has a similar climate to the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]] in [[Russia]], or [[Alaska]], however the latitude equivalent is about the same as [[Northern England]], if it was placed south of the equator.
The island is classified as an ET or polar tundra climate on the [[Köppen climate classification|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. Additionally, South Georgia is a breeding ground for [[elephant seal]]s,<ref>Boyd, I. L., Walker, T. R., & Poncet, J. (1996). Status of southern elephant seals at South Georgia. Antarctic Science, 8(3), 237–244. {{doi|10.1017/S0954102096000338}}</ref> [[fur seal]]s,<ref>Boyd, I. L., McCafferty, D. J., & Walker, T. R. (1997). Variation in foraging effort by lactating Antarctic fur seals: response to simulated increased foraging costs. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 40(3), 135–144. {{doi|10.1007/s002650050326}}</ref><ref>Boyd, I. L., McCafferty, D. J., Reid, K., Taylor, R., & Walker, T. R. (1998). Dispersal of male and female Antarctic fur seals (''Arctocephalus gazella''). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 55(4), 845–852. {{doi|10.1139/f97-314}}</ref> and [[king penguin]]s. The island is home to the [[South Georgia pintail|South Georgia Pintail]] and the [[South Georgia pipit|South Georgia Pipit]], the only known habitat for these birds.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44046472|title=Rodents driven from South Georgia|last=Amos|first=Jonathan|date=2018-05-09|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-05-09|language=en-GB}}</ref>It has a similar climate to the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]] in [[Russia]], however the latitude equivalent is about the same as [[Northern England]], if it was placed south of the equator.


The island's topography includes a stepped sequence of flat surfaces interpreted as [[abrasion platform|wave-cut platforms]] formed when sea level was higher relative to the island. At sea level [[strandflat]]s have been described.<ref>{{cite report|author-last1=Chalmers|author-first1=M. |author-last2=Clapperton|author-first2=M.A. |author-link= |authors= |date=1970 |title=Geomorhpology 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 |publisher=|series=British Antarctic Survey Scientific Reports |volume=70 |pages=1–25 |docket= |access-date=January 29, 2018 |quote= }}</ref>
The island's topography includes a stepped sequence of flat surfaces interpreted as [[abrasion platform|wave-cut platforms]] formed when sea level was higher relative to the island. At sea level [[strandflat]]s have been described.<ref>{{cite report|author-last1=Chalmers|author-first1=M. |author-last2=Clapperton|author-first2=M.A. |author-link= |authors= |date=1970 |title=Geomorhpology 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 |publisher=|series=British Antarctic Survey Scientific Reports |volume=70 |pages=1–25 |docket= |access-date=January 29, 2018 |quote= }}</ref>

Revision as of 11:29, 17 February 2019

South Georgia
Central South Georgia
Map of South Georgia Island
Geography
LocationSouth Atlantic
Coordinates54°24′S 36°42′W / 54.4°S 36.7°W / -54.4; -36.7
ArchipelagoSouth Georgia group
Length167.4 km (104.02 mi)
Width37 km (23 mi)
Highest elevation2,934 m (9626 ft)
Highest pointMount Paget
Largest settlementGrytviken
Demographics
Population32 (summer)
16 (winter)

South Georgia is an island in the southern Atlantic Ocean that is part of the British Overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The main settlement is Grytviken. South Georgia is 167.4 kilometres (104 mi) long and 1.4 to 37 km (0.9 to 23.0 miles) wide.[1] It is about 830 km (520 mi) northeast of Coronation Island and 550 km (340 mi) northwest from Zavodovski Island, the nearest South Sandwich island.

History

Main article: History of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

The Island of South Georgia is said to have been first sighted 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 June or 29 June 1756.[2]

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.[3] Modern industrial sealing associated with whaling stations was carried out between 1909 and 1964. Sealing era relics include iron trypots, hut ruins, graves and inscriptions.

Argentine occupation

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 formally annexed the island. South Georgia was retaken by British forces on 25 April during Operation Paraquet.

Geography and fauna

Topography of South Georgia Island
Church at Grytviken

The island 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. Additionally, South Georgia is a breeding ground for elephant seals,[4] fur seals,[5][6] and king penguins. The island is home to the South Georgia Pintail and the South Georgia Pipit, the only known habitat for these birds.[7]It has a similar climate to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, however the latitude equivalent is about the same as Northern England, if it was placed south of the equator.

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.[8]

In 2018, the island was declared free of invasive rodents after a multiyear extermination effort.[9][10]

References

  1. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  2. ^ "Historia General de las Relaciones Exteriores de la República Argentina: Georgias del Sur" [General History of Foreign Relations of the Argentine Republic: South Georgia Islands]. www.argentina-rree.com (in Spanish). Instituto Iberoamérica y el Mundo. Retrieved 2017-07-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  3. ^ R.K. Headland, (ed.) Historical Antarctic sealing industry, Scott Polar Research Institute (Cambridge University), 2018, p.168, ISBN 978-0-901021-26-7.
  4. ^ Boyd, I. L., Walker, T. R., & Poncet, J. (1996). Status of southern elephant seals at South Georgia. Antarctic Science, 8(3), 237–244. doi:10.1017/S0954102096000338
  5. ^ Boyd, I. L., McCafferty, D. J., & Walker, T. R. (1997). Variation in foraging effort by lactating Antarctic fur seals: response to simulated increased foraging costs. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 40(3), 135–144. doi:10.1007/s002650050326
  6. ^ Boyd, I. L., McCafferty, D. J., Reid, K., Taylor, R., & Walker, T. R. (1998). Dispersal of male and female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 55(4), 845–852. doi:10.1139/f97-314
  7. ^ Amos, Jonathan (2018-05-09). "Rodents driven from South Georgia". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  8. ^ Chalmers, M.; Clapperton, M.A. (1970). Geomorhpology of the Stromness Bay – Cumberland Bay area, South Georgia (PDF) (Report). British Antarctic Survey Scientific Reports. Vol. 70. pp. 1–25. Retrieved January 29, 2018. {{cite report}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |authors= (help)
  9. ^ Warren, Matt (2018-05-08). "Rat begone: Record eradication effort rids sub-Antarctic island of invasive rodents". Science. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  10. ^ "The Intrepid Rat-Sniffing Terriers of South Georgia Island". atlasobscura.com. 17 May 2018.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special%3ADiff%2F883752306