South Shetland Islands South Shetland Islands, barren, snow-
covered archipelago off N Antarctic Peninsula, W Antarctica;
Livingston and King George islands are the largest. The South
Shetlands were bases for sealers in the 19th cent., whalers in
the early 20th cent., and also for antarctic exploration; they
now have scientific bases. The South Shetlands, discovered by
the British mariner William Smith in 1819, are claimed by Great
Britain, Argentina, and Chile. More on South Shetland Islands
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Physical Geography