Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed. In response to renewed calls from Argentina for Britain to relinquish control of the islands, a referendum was held in March 2013, which resulted in 99.8% of the population voting to remain a part of the UK.
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina
51 45 S, 59 00 W
South America
total: 12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
slightly smaller than Connecticut
0 km
1,288 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 60 cm in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
agricultural land: 92.4%
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 92.4%
forest: 0%
other: 7.6% (2011 est.)
NA
strong winds persist throughout the year
overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer - introduced to the islands in 2001 from South Georgia - are part of a farming effort to produce specialty meat and diversify the islands' economy; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
Falkland Islander 57%, British 24.6%, St. Helenian 9.8%, Chilean 5.3%, other 3.4% (2012 est.)
2,931 (2014 est.)
noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island
English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)
Christian 66%, none 32%, other 2% (2012 est.)
0.01% (2014 est.)
10.9 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2012 est.)
NA
a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley
urban population: 76.2% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 0.96% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
STANLEY (capital) 2,000 (2014)
total population: 1.11 male(s)/female
note: sex ratio is somewhat skewed by the high proportion of males at the Royal Air Force station, Mount Pleasant Airport (MPA); excluding MPA, the sex ratio of the total population would be 1.01 (2012 est.)
total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
total population: 77.9
male: 75.6
female: 79.6 (2012 est.)
NA
NA
NA
NA
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
etymology: the archipelago takes its name from the Falkland Sound, the strait separating the two main islands; the channel itself was named after the Viscount of Falkland who sponsored an expedition to the islands in 1690; the Spanish name for the archipelago derives from the French "Iles Malouines," the name applied to the islands by French explorer Louis-Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE in 1764
overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (2016)
English common law and local statutes
see United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Colin ROBERTS (since 28 April 2014)
head of government: Chief Executive Keith PADGETT (since 1 February 2012)
cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Legislative Council
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief executive appointed by the governor
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly, formerly the Legislative Council (10 seats; 8 members directly elected by majority vote and 2 appointed ex officio members - the chief executive, appointed by the governor, and the financial secretary; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 7 November 2013 (next to be held in November 2017)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 8
highest resident court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, the chief justice as an ex officio, non-resident member, and 2 justices of appeal); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: all justices appointed by the governor; tenure specified in each justice's instrument of appointment
subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction
none; all independents
Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes)
UPU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
ram
name: "Song of the Falklands""
lyrics/music: Christopher LANHAM
note: adopted 1930s; the song is the local unofficial anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
$164.5 million (2007 est.)
The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but fishing and tourism currently comprise the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands
Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Foreign exchange earnings come from shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and from the sale of postage stamps and coins. In 2001, the government purchased 100 reindeer with the int
Tourism, especially ecotourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 69,000 visitors in 2009. The British military presence also provides a sizable economic boost. The islands are now self-financing except for defense.
In 1993, the British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day. Political tensions between the UK and Argentina remai
$164.5 million (2007 est.)
$105.1 million (2002 est.)
$55,400 (2002 est.)
agriculture: 95%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (1996)
fodder and vegetable crops; venison, sheep, dairy products; fish, squid
fish and wool processing; tourism
NA%
1,944 (2012 est.)
agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
industry and services: 5% (1996)
4.1% (2010)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $67.1 million
expenditures: $75.3 million (FY09/10)
40.8% of GDP (FY09/10)
-5% of GDP (FY09/10)
1 April - 31 March
1.2% (2003)
$125 million (2004 est.)
wool, hides, meat, venison, fish, squid
$90 million (2004 est.)
fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
$NA
Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar -
0.7391 (2016 est.)
0.6542 (2015 est.)
0.6542 (2013)
0.6391 (2013)
0.63 (2012)
15 million kWh (2014 est.)
13.95 million kWh (2014 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
10,000 kW (2014 est.)
90% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
10% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
300 bbl/day (2014 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
292 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
45,570 Mt (2012 est.)
total subscriptions: 2,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 68 (July 2015 est.)
total: 5,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 171 (July 2015 est.)
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands
international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries (2015)
TV service provided by a multi-channel service provider; radio services provided by the public broadcaster, Falkland Islands Radio Service, broadcasting on both AM and FM frequencies, and by the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) (2007)
.fk
total: 3,000
percent of population: 98.3% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 1
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5 (2015)
VP-F (2016)
7 (2013)
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 5
under 914 m: 5 (2013)
total: 440 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 390 km (2008)
major seaport(s): Stanley
no regular military forces
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks
