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- possession and overseas territory of United Kingdom in the Southern Atlantic
- other names: "SGSSI", "Southern Antilles"
• Flags
• Historical Flags
• Other Flags
• Meaning/Origin of the Flag
• Coat of Arms
• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms
• Map
• Numbers and Facts
• History
• Origin of the Country's Name
since 1908,
Union Flag → quasi National flag,
Flag of United Kingdom,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)
since 1908,
Merchant flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations
since 1999,
National and state flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
since 1999,
Flag of the Commissioner,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
1992–1999,
National and state flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
1992–1999,
Flag of the Commissioner,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (DE)
spread variants, possibly historical
1992–1999,
National and state flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
1992–1999,
National and state flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are British outlying possessions.
Their flags are subject to the regulations of the British Ensign system. South
Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have been British possessions since 1908.
From that point in time onwards, individuals, citizens and also the authorities
represented their status as citizens or organs of the British nation, embodied
in the United Kingdom, by the use of the Union Jack, then called the "Union
Flag". At sea, the British merchant flag, the Red Ensign, was intended for
British citizens from 1864. In a few cases, the citizens of a colony were
authorised by the Admiralty to use their own Red Ensign with the colony's badge
at sea. However, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands have hardly any
permanent residents. In 1985, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands were
administratively separated from the Falkland Islands and have formed their own
administrative unit ever since.
The Union Flag is therefore the actual
national and state flag on land. On South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands, the "Blue Ensign" (actual state flag at sea) with the country's
insignia may also be used as the national flag for decorative purposes since
1992, if the governor has authorised this, for a limited period of time, e.g. at
an event (including outside the country) or also for differentiation if the use
of the Union flag would be inappropriate or could cause confusion. On land,
however, the aspect ratio of the flag should be 3:5. A "Blue Ensign" is a dark
blue bunting with a flag representation – the British Union Jack – in the upper
corner and the country's badge in the flying end of the flag, with the Union
Jack indicating the links to United Kingdom.
United Kingdom introduced a
flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign" (naval
flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross and with
the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant ships fly
a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" → civil flag, the real merchant flag),
a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag, and
•
governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by the gouvernment →
the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff
quadrant of the flag.
From 1865, the ships of the colonial governments
were allowed to use a Blue Ensign with a badge at the flying end. The respective
governments were to provide appropriate badges. Merchant ships and seafaring
privateers from colonies were only allowed to use a Red Ensign with a badge if
the British Admiralty had issued a corresponding licence for that colony.
Such a badge was often a regional landscape depiction on a
disc, often showed ships, historical events or could simply be a kind of logo.
Very often a badge also contained the name of the country or a motto. However,
some possessions had a coat of arms from the beginning or were given their own
coat of arms over the years and the badge was abolished. To ensure a largely
uniform appearance in the flying end of the flags, coats of arms and other
symbols were displayed on a white disc in the size of the former badges.
However, there were also exceptions, as some colonies dispensed with this white
disc and placed their coat of arms or even just the shield – sometimes enlarged
– directly on the bunting. As early as the 1940s, the white disc was removed and
the coat of arms was applied directly or enlarged. This conversion process took
place gradually, nowhere simultaneously and completely. In some British
possessions flags with the white disc are still in use today, in others no
longer and in some areas both variants exist side by side.
Until 1985,
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands were administratively part of the
Falkland Islands, so their flags were used here until 1985. In 1992, an own
"Blue Ensign" was introduced as the state flag at sea, a dark blue bunting with
a flag depiction – the British Union Jack – in the upper corner (indicating the
links to United Kingdom), which showed the coat of arms in the waving end of the
flag, initially as a badge on a white disc until 1999, after which the white
disc was removed and the coat of arms on the flag was enlarged. In the
literature and on the Internet, there are a few variations of this flag. Only
the escutcheon is shown on the flag, sometimes with and sometimes without a
white disc. This is possibly due to the fact that the flag of the High
Commissioner between 1992 and 1999 actually only showed the shield, which was
transferred to the official flag. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
follows the British ensign and colour system, the colours of the flag correspond
to the spectrum given by the British Ministry of Defence in its publication
"Flags of all Nations" (a service regulation) for the following colours: Blue =
pt 180 c, Red = pt 186 c.
The High Commissioner's flag is a standard
design of older style, for all Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, Commissioners,
High Commissioners and other officials holding a relevant administrative office,
provided that no newer design is used. Within the wreath is always placed the
appropriate badge or coat of arms. The High Commissioner of South Georgia and
the South Sandwich Islands is the British Governor of the Falkland Islands. His
flag is only in use if he visits the islands.
Source:
Die Welt der Flaggen,
Flags of the World,
Wikipedia (EN),
Volker Preuß
since 1992,
Coat of arms of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands,
Source, by:
Wikipedia (DE)
1992–1999,
Badge of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands,
Source, by:
Wikipedia (DE)
The coat of arms of the country shows a shield with a white-blue diagonal chessboard-pattern. On it a golden bordered green triangle with a golden lion with a torch and two golden stars. The shield is based on a undercoat from planks, grass and ice. Shield-supporters are a sea-elephant and a penguin. Above the blazon a helmet with a white-blue torus and on it a reindeer which stands on cliffs. Quite below a ribbon with the motto of the islands. The motto is: "Leo Terram Propriam Protegat", what means something like "Let the Lion protect its own Land". The golden lion in the coat of arms is the heraldic symbol of United Kingdom, the torch points out for the scientific research on the islands and the both stars stand for the both archipelagos the country consists of. The penguin, the sea-elephant and the reindeer are a hint for the fauna of the country.
Source: Wikipedia (D),
Wikipedia (EN),
Volker Preuß
Location:
Source: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries, modyfied by: Volker Preuß
Map of the country:
Source: CIA World Factbook
Source: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries, modyfied by: Volker Preuß
Reseach stations and former settlements
Map: Volker Preuß
Area: 1.570 square miles, thereof South Georgia 1.450 sq.mi., South Sandwich Islands 120 sq.mi.
Inhabitants: There is no permanent human population on South Georgia. There are 2 Government Officers and spouses, up to 25 British Antarctic Survey personnel at 2 research stations and up to 4 Museum staff in the summer months.
Density of Population: 0,02 inh./sq.mi.
Main place: King Edward Point/Grytviken
Seat of administration: Stanley (Falkland Islands)
official Language: English
Currency 1: Pound Sterling (£) = 100 Pence
Currency 2: Falkland-Islands-Pound (F.I.-£, FKP) = 100 Pence
Time Zone: GMT – 2 h
Source: GSGSSI,
Wikipedia (D)
1675 · the English seafarer Anthony de la Roche discovers the island of South Georgia, which first of all became noted as Roche Island but its position however fell in oblivion
1775 · the English seafarer James Cook discoveres South Georgia again and discoveres the South Sandwich Islands and claims them for United Kingdom
1819 · the Russian seafarer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen discoveres further islands of the South Sandwich Archipelago
1819 · the South Shetland Islands (888 sq.mi., uninhabited) become appropriated by United Kingdom
1821 · the South Orkney Islands (256 sq.mi., uninhabited) become appropriated by United Kingdom
1882 · construction of the German research station Moltke (Moltke Harbour) in the Royal Bay in the southeast of the island
1904 · foundation of the whaler housing estate Grytviken by Carl Anton Larsen
1908 · United Kingdom officially appropriates South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands as dependenceies of the Falkland Islands, the South Shetland Islands and the South Orkney Islands become further dependenceies of the Falkland Islands
1908 · foundation of the whaler housing estate Godthul
1909 · foundation of the whaler housing estates Leith Harbour and Ocean Harbour
1909 · foundation of King Edward Point as administrative center near Grytviken
1910 · foundation of the whaler housing estate Husvik
1912 · foundation of the whaler housing estate Stromness
1916 · foundation of the whaler housing estate Prince Olav Harbour
1916 · the polar researcher Ernest Henry Shackleton visits Grytviken
1920 · the whaler housing estate Ocean Harbour becomes given up and abandoned
1922 · the polar researcher Ernest Henry Shackleton dies in Grytviken and was buried there
1927 · Argentina claims South Georgia
1929 · the whaler housing estate Godthul becomes given up and abandoned
1931 · the whaler housing estate Stromness becomes given up and abandoned
1934 · the whaler housing estate Prince Olav Harbour becomes given up and abandoned
1938 · Argentina claims the South Sandwich Islands
1949 · King Edward Point becomes extended as scientific research station
1955–1956 · Argentina occupies Thule Island, the most southern island of the South Sandwich Islands and operates over one summer the military base Teniente Esquivel
1958 · United Kingdom builds the research station of Bird Island in the north of South Georgia
1960 · the whaler housing estate Husvik becomes given up and abandoned
1960–1961 · the smallholding of Stromness becomes operated as repairing shipyard
1962 · the South Shetland Islands and the die South Orkney Islands become administratively separated from the Falkland Islands and affiliated to the British Antarctic Territory
1965 · the whaler housing estate Leith Harbour becomes given up and abandoned
1965 · the place Grytviken becomes given up as whaler station
1976 · Argentina occupies again Thule Island and establishes the military base Corbeta Uruguay
19th of March 1982 · occupation of the abandoned whaler station Leith Harbour by Argentinian troops
3rd of April 1982 · occupation of Grytviken by Argentinian troops
25th of April 1982 · re-conquest of South Georgia by British troops on the occasion the Falkland War, station of a British garrison in King Edward Point
20th of June 1982 · Argentina quits the military base Corbeta Uruguay
3rd of October 1985 · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands become administratively separated from the Falkland Islands and represent from now on an own administration unit
1993 · extension of the 12 mile fishery zone to 200 miles around the islands
1995 · Argentina cancels the power for the achievement of its interests in South Georgia
21st of March 2001 · the British garrison withdraws from King Edward Point
Source:
1) Wikipedia (EN),
2) Wikipedia (EN),
Wikipedia (DE)
When South Georgia was discovered in 1675 it was initially called after the name of its discoverer. The name was "Roche Island". As James Cook re-discovered the island in 1775 he named it to honour the British King George III. "Isle of Georgia". James Cook also discovered in the year 1775 the most of the 750 miles from South Georgia distant and uninhabited South Sandwich Islands. He named them to honour the 4th Earl of Sandwich, the First Lord of the Admirality "Sandwich Islands". Later was added the word "South" to distinguish them from Hawaii, which at that time was called Sandwich Islands too.
Source: Wikipedia (DE)
