The South Orkney Islands are a group of islands in the Southern Ocean, about 604 kilometres (375 mi) north-east of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. They have a total area of about 620 square kilometres (240 sq mi). The islands are part of the Argentine Antarctica and British Antarctic Territory since 1962 (previously they were a Falkland Islands Dependency), and the British Antarctic Survey operates a base on Signy Island. Apart from base personnel, there are no inhabitants. Under the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, the islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are open to any signatory for non-military use. Since 1904 Orcadas was the only station on the islands for 40 years until the British established a small summer base, Cape Geddes Station in Laurie Island in 1946, replaced by Signy Research Station in Signy Island in 1947. It also had the first radiotelegraph in the continent in 1927. The 11 buildings of the station house up to 45 people during the summer, and an average of 14 during winter.