1922 on a subsequent expedition
and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses a small
military garrison. The islands have large bird and seal populations
and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in
adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing
zone from 12 miles to 200 miles around each island.
Southern Ocean:
A decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean -
the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic
Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends
from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude
which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean
is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the
Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the
Arctic Ocean).
Spain:
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
but suffered through a devastating Civil War (1936-39). In the
second half of the 20th century, it has played a catch-up role in
the western international community. Continuing concerns are
large-scale unemployment and the Basque separatist movement.
Spratly Islands:
Rich fishing grounds and the potential for gas and
oil deposits have caused this archipelago to be claimed in its
entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied
certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have occurred
between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces
Sri Lanka:
Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the
Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in
1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed
in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil
separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands
have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
Sudan:
Military dictatorships promulgating an Islamic government
have mostly run the country since independence from the UK in 1956.
Over the past two d
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