South Orkney Islands

South Orkney Islands, uninhabited island group, South Atlantic Ocean, south-east of Tierra del Fuego. Laurie and Coronation are the largest islands of the group, which also consists of two smaller islands and several rocky islets, and has a total land area of about 620 sq km (240 sq mi). The South Orkneys were reached in 1821 by the British explorer George Powell and the American explorer Nathaniel Palmer. In 1962 the islands were made a part of the British Antarctic Territory; they also are claimed by Argentina.