Catalogue description Foreign and Commonwealth Office: British Antarctic Territory: Government Gazettes

The British Antarctic Territory was designated by an Order-in-Council which came into force on 3 March 1962, and, with the exception of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, consists of the area previously known as the Falkland Islands Dependencies. The territory is unusual in that it has no indigenous inhabitants, and the British population consists almost entirely of male scientists and technicians who man the British Antarctic Survey scientific stations.

Until July 1989 the Territory was administered by the High Commissioner resident in Stanley, Falkland Islands: since then the post of Commissioner has been held by the head of the South Atlantic and Antarctic Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, and that of Administrator by the head of the Polar Regions Section of that department.