Introduction to South Georgia
The islands are a British territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. They are home to many birds and seals, and are about 1,000 km away from the Falkland Islands. In 1908, Britain took control of the islands, except for a few weeks in 1982 when Argentina invaded them. The islands also have a history of whaling, and Grytviken was one of the main stations in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Grytviken is a historical site that Ernest Shackleton, a famous explorer, visited in 1914 before his doomed attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned in 1916 with some of his men in a small boat and rescued the rest of his crew, who were stuck near the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 during another expedition and was buried in Grytviken.
The British Antarctic Survey conducts scientific research at the station. To protect the marine resources near the islands, the UK expanded the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island in 1993.
