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Directory of South Shetland Islands Resources

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Location: 61°00' to 63°22'S : 53°50' to 62°50'W This group stretches some 540 km and consists of four primary groups, including eleven major islands (Elephant and Clarence Islands; King George and Nelson Islands; Robert, Greenwich, Livingston, Snow and Deception Islands; Smith and Low Islands). There are several smaller islands with many islets and rocks. Some of the islands are of volcanic origin and average about 120 km north of the Antarctic Peninsula. A giant among the peri-Antarctics, the group covers 4662 km2 with the highest elevation being Mt. Foster, on Smith Island, at a height of 2105 m. The group is 80% glacierized. The South Shetlands were first sighted in 1819 with sealers arriving in 1820. Permanent scientific operations have occurred since 1943, with a whaling station operating on Deception Island from 1912-31. This is highly disputed territory as the British have claimed it as part of its British Antarctic Territory, Argentina as part of Antártida Argentina and Chile as part of Territorio Antártico Chileno. This category contains Internet sites that are about or located on the South Shetland Islands.

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