Flag of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

The coat of arms of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands consists of the following elements:

• A shield with white and blue diamonds, is a heraldic element taken from the coat of arms of James Cook, the discoverer of these islands. The shield contains:
  • A green triangle with a golden lion holding a torch and two yellow stars representing Great Britain. The lion is a symbol of royalty and British sovereignty. It is also associated with strength and courage;
• Shield holders:
  • Sea lion: a symbol of the marine fauna native to the islands;
  • Penguin: another representative of the fauna found in large numbers in these places;
• A helmet with a boerewolf above the shield symbolizes the connection with the sea. The burelet is associated with sea travelers and indicates the historical connection of the islands with navigation and ocean exploration;
• A reindeer: Placed above the shield, it is a symbol of the land fauna and diversity of the islands;
• Motto: "Let the lion defend his country" (Latin: "Leo Terram Propriam Protegat").

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are a remote group of islands in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean, about 1000 kilometers east of South America. Officially, they belong to Scotland and are a British Overseas Territory.

The islands are famous for their rich and diverse marine life. Here you can meet seals, penguins and other marine animals. Glaciers, mountains, and ocean waters create unique ecosystems that attract the attention of scientists from all over the world.

That is why there are scientific stations here that conduct research in oceanography, meteorology, biology and other sciences. This research is aimed at studying climate change, the impact of human activity on the natural environment, and the conservation of marine ecosystems.