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{{short description|Group of islands in the South Atlantic}}
{{Redirect|Malvinas}}
{{pp-move}}
{{Redirect|Falklands|similar terms|Falkland}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
<!--Do not edit this article to include or remove any Spanish names without first discussing it on Talk. Any substantial changes without consensus on Talk may result in an immediate block from editing.-->
<!-- Do not edit this article to include or remove any Spanish names without first discussing it on Talk. Any substantial changes without consensus on Talk may result in an immediate block from editing. -->
{{Infobox Country
{{redirect-multi|2|Falklands|Malvinas}}
|native_name =
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
|conventional_long_name = Falkland Islands
{{Use British English|date=December 2024}}
|common_name = Falkland Islands
|demonym = Falkland Islander
|image_flag = Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg
|image_coat = Coa Falkland.svg
|image_map = LocationFalklandIslands.png
|national_motto = "Desire the right"
|national_anthem = "]"
|official_languages = English
|capital = ]
|latd=51 |latm=42 |latNS=S |longd=57 |longm=51 |longEW=W
|largest_city = ]
|ethnic_groups = 61.3% ]{{Ref label|islander-note|a|}}<br/> 29.0% ] <br /> 2.6% ] <br /> 0.6% ] <br /> 6.5% ]an & Other<ref>{{cite web|author=Joshua Project |url=http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=FK |title=Ethnic People Groups of Falkland Islands |publisher=Joshua Project |date= |accessdate=2010-02-28}}</ref>
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = Monarch
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|leader_title3 = ]
|leader_name3 = ]<ref>{{cite press release |title=Falkland Islands Government appoints new Chief Executive |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |date=2007-08-30 |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/news-2007.php |accessdate=2007-10-29}}</ref>
|area_rank = 162nd
|area_magnitude = 1 E10
|area_km2 = 12,173
|area_sq_mi = 4,700 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|percent_water = 0
|population_estimate = 3,140<ref name=cia>{{cite web
|url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fk.html
|title = Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
|publisher = The World Factbook
|publisher = CIA
|accessdate = 2010-03-05}}</ref>
|population_estimate_rank = 217th
|population_estimate_year = July 2008
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density_km2 = 0.26
|population_density_sq_mi = 0.65 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
|population_density_rank = 240th
|GDP_PPP = $75 million
|GDP_PPP_rank = 223rd
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $25,000 (2002 estimate)
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = ''not ranked''
|sovereignty_type = ]
|established_event1 = Liberation Day
|established_date1 = 14 June 1982
|HDI = n/a
|HDI_rank =
|HDI_year =
|HDI_category =
|currency = ]{{Ref label|currency-note|b|}}
|currency_code = FKP
|country_code =
|time_zone =
|utc_offset = -4
|time_zone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST = -3
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 500
|drives_on = left
|footnotes =


{{Infobox dependency
a. {{note|islander-note}} The majority are of British origin.<br/>
| name = Falkland Islands
b. {{note|currency-note}} Fixed to the ].
| settlement_type = ]
}}
| linking_name = the Falkland Islands
<!--
| image_flag = Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg
READ THIS FIRST!
| flag_size = 130px
| flag_link = Flag of the Falkland Islands
| image_seal = Coat of arms of the Falkland Islands.svg
| seal_size = 65px
| seal_type = Coat of arms
| seal_link = Coat of arms of the Falkland Islands
| motto = "]"
| anthem = "]"<br /><div
style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">]</div>
| song_type = Unofficial anthem
| song = "]"
| image_map = Location map of the Falklands&nbsp;– Alternative version 4.svg
| map_caption = Location of the Falkland Islands
| mapsize = 255px
| subdivision_type = ]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| established_title = First settlement
| established_date = 1764
| established_title2 = ]
| established_date2 = 3 January 1833<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gough |first=Barry M. |date=1990 |title=The British Reoccupation and Colonization of the Falkland Islands, or Malvinas, 1832–1843 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0095139000031379/type/journal_article |journal=Albion |language=en |volume=22 |issue=2 |pages=261–287 |doi=10.2307/4049600 |jstor=4049600 |issn=0095-1390}}</ref>
| established_title3 = ]
| established_date3 = 2 April to<br />14 June 1982
| established_title4 = ]
| established_date4 = 1 January 2009
| official_languages = ]
| demonym = ], Falklander
| capital = ]
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|41|43|S|57|50|58|W|type:city}}
| largest_settlement = capital
| largest_settlement_type = largest settlement
| ethnic_groups =
| ethnic_groups_year =
| government_type = ] ] ] under a ]
| leader_title1 = ]
| leader_name1 = ]
| leader_title2 = ]
| leader_name2 = ]
| leader_title3 = ]
| leader_name3 = ]
| legislature = ]
| national_representation = ]
| national_representation_type1 = ]
| national_representation1 = ]
| area_km2 = 12,173
| area_rank = <!-- Area rank should match List of countries and dependencies by area:none -->
| area_sq_mi = 4,700 <!--Do not remove per ]-->
| elevation_max_m = 705
| percent_water = 0
| population_estimate =
| population_census = 3,662<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |url=https://www.falklands.gov.fk/policy/images/2021_Census_-_Preliminary_Data_Tables.xlsx |title=2021 Census Report |year=2022 |publisher=Policy and Economic Development Unit, Falkland Islands Government |format=XLSX}}</ref>
| population_estimate_year =
| population_census_rank = not ranked
| population_census_year = 2021
| population_density_km2 = 0.30
| population_density_rank = not ranked
| population_density_sq_mi = 0.72<!--Do not remove per ]-->
| GDP_PPP = $228.5&nbsp;million<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fiassociation.com/shopimages/pdfs/2015%2003%20State%20of%20the%20Falkland%20Islands%20Economy%20Report.pdf |title=State of the Falkland Islands Economy |date=March 2015 |access-date=8 January 2017 |archive-date=9 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409070208/http://www.fiassociation.com/shopimages/pdfs/2015%2003%20State%20of%20the%20Falkland%20Islands%20Economy%20Report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GDP_PPP_year = 2013
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $96,962
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 4th
| Gini = 36.0 <!--number only-->
| Gini_year = 2015
| Gini_change = increase<!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini_ref =<ref name="wb-gini">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/gini-index-coefficient-distribution-of-family-income/country-comparison/ |title=Gini Index coefficient |publisher=CIA World Factbook |access-date=16 July 2021 |archive-date=17 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717071854/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/gini-index-coefficient-distribution-of-family-income/country-comparison |url-status=live }}</ref>
| HDI = 0.874 <!--number only-->
| HDI_year = 2010
| HDI_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| HDI_ref = {{sfn|Avakov|2013|p=47}}
| HDI_rank = not ranked
| currency = ]<br />] (£)
| currency_code = FKP
| timezone = ]
| utc_offset = – 03:00
| date_format = dd/mm/yyyy
| drives_on = left
| calling_code = ]
| postal_code_type = ]
| postal_code = FIQQ 1ZZ
| iso_code = ]
| cctld = ]
|website={{URL|https://www.falklands.gov.fk/}}}}
<!-- READ THIS FIRST!


The first sentence has been established as a compromise consensus between many editors in a long and difficult discussion (see talk page). Trying to change the sentence will be reverted on sight without discussion by many of the editors part of the discussion. If you have overriding NEW arguments, please bring them to the talk page first! The first sentence has been established as a compromise consensus between many editors in a long and difficult discussion (see talk page). Trying to change the sentence will be reverted on sight without discussion by many of the editors part of the discussion. If you have over-riding NEW arguments, please bring them to the talk page first!


--> -->
The '''Falkland Islands''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|ɔː|(|l|)|k|l|ə|n|d|,_|ˈ|f|ɒ|l|k|-}} {{respell|FAW(L)K|lənd|,_|FOLK|-}};<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref> {{langx|es|Islas Malvinas|link=no}} {{IPA|es|ˈislas malˈβinas|}}) is an ] in the ] on the ]. The principal islands are about {{cvt|300|mi|km|abbr=off}} east of South America's southern ]n coast and about {{cvt|752|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} from ] at the northern tip of the ], at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of {{cvt|4700|sqmi|km2|abbr=off}}, comprises ], ], and 776 smaller islands. As a ], the Falklands have internal ], but the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is ] on East Falkland.
The '''Falkland Islands''' ({{pron-en|ˈfɔːlklənd}}; {{lang-es|Islas Malvinas}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=Falklands&B10=Buscar&dict=enes |title=WordReference, English-Spanish Dictionary. '&#39;Falklands: the Falklands, las (islas) Malvinas'&#39; |publisher=Wordreference.com |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> {{lang-fr|Îles Malouines}}) are an ] in the ], located about {{convert|300|mi|lk=on|nmi km}} from the coast of mainland South America, {{convert|700|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between Beauchêne Island {{Coord|52|54|50|S|59|11|30|W|display=inline}} and Prime Head {{Coord|63|12|48|S|57|18|8|W|display=inline}} is {{convert|715|mi|nmi km}}, measured using </ref> from mainland Antarctica, and {{convert|3800|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between a rock off Cape Pembroke {{Coord|51|40|33|S|57|41|17|W|display=inline}} and the ] {{Coord|34|18|31|S|15|24|6|E|display=inline}} is {{convert|3844|mi|abbr=on}}, measured using </ref> from Africa. The archipelago, consisting of ], ] and 776 lesser islands, is a ]<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assembly/
|title = Welcome to the Falkland Islands Government Legislative Assembly Website
|publisher = The Falkland Islands Government
|accessdate = 13 June 2010}}</ref> ] of the ].<ref name="islands">{{cite web
| title = The Islands: Location
| work = Falkland Islands Government web site
| publisher =
| url = http://www.falklands.gov.fk/location.php
| year = 2007
| accessdate =2007-04-08}}</ref> The capital, ], is on East Falkland.


The islands are believed to have been uninhabited prior to European discovery in the ]. Controversy exists over the Falklands' discovery and subsequent colonisation by Europeans. At various times, the islands have had French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements. Britain ], but ] maintains its claim to the islands. In April 1982, Argentine military forces ]. British administration was restored two months later at the end of the ]. In a ], almost all Falklanders voted in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory. The territory's sovereignty status is part of an ongoing ].
Ever since the ], ] has ].<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/portal/seree/malvinas/home.html
|title = Islas Malvinas, Georgias del Sur y Sandwich del Sur
|publisher = Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores
|accessdate = 2010-03-06}}</ref> In pursuit of this claim, which is rejected by the islanders,<ref>
{{cite web
| title = Country Profile: Falkland Islands, Sovereignty of the Islands
| work = Countries & Regions
| publisher =]
| url =http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/country-profiles/south-america/falkland-islands?profile=history&pg=3
| date = 2007-07-27
| accessdate =2008-04-04}}
</ref> Argentina ] in 1982. This precipitated the two-month-long undeclared ] between Argentina and the United Kingdom and resulted in the defeat and withdrawal of the Argentine forces.


The population (3,662 inhabitants in 2021)<ref name="auto2"/> is primarily native-born ], the majority of British descent. Other ethnicities include French, ], and Scandinavians. Immigration from the United Kingdom, the South Atlantic island of ], and Chile has reversed a population decline. The predominant (and official) language is English. Under the ], Falkland Islanders are ].
Since the war, there has been strong ] in both ] and ].


The islands lie at the boundary of the ] and ] zones, and both major islands have mountain ranges reaching {{cvt|700|m|ft|order=flip}}. They are home to large bird populations, although many no longer breed on the main islands due to predation by ]. Major economic activities include fishing, tourism and ], with an emphasis on high-quality wool exports. Oil exploration, licensed by the ], remains controversial as a result of maritime disputes with Argentina.
==Name==
{{See also|List of Falkland Islands placenames}}
The Falkland Islands took their English name from "Falkland Sound", the channel between the two main islands, which was in turn named after ] by Captain ], who landed on the islands in 1690.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.falklands.info/history/histarticle19.html
|title = Port Desire and the Discovery of the Falklands
|author = Peter J. Pepper
|publisher = Falkland Islands Newsletter, No. 78, March 2001
|accessdate = 2010-03-06}}</ref> The Spanish name, ''Islas Malvinas'', is derived from the French name,<ref name="falklandislandsguide.wordpress.com">{{cite web
|url = http://falklandislandsguide.wordpress.com/
|title = Falkland Islands Guide
|publisher = Blog at Worldpress.com
|accessdate = 2010-03-06}}</ref> ''Îles Malouines'', named by ] in 1764 after the first known settlers, mariners and fishermen from the ] port of ] in France.<ref name="falklandislandsguide.wordpress.com"/> The ] designation is ''Falkland Islands (Malvinas)'' and its ISO country code is ''FK''.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.iso.org/iso/english_country_names_and_code_elements#f.
|title = English country names and code elements
|publisher = International Organization for Standardization
|accessdate = 2010-03-06}}</ref>


==Etymology==
As a result of the continuing ], the use of many Spanish names is considered offensive in the Falkland Islands, particularly those associated with the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.falklands.info/background/99agree.html|title=AGREEMENT OF 14th JULY 1999|publisher=Falklands.info|accessdate=2007-07-23}}</ref> General Sir ] would not allow the use of ''Islas Malvinas'' in the ], dismissing it as a ] term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psywar.org/falklands.php|title=PSYOP of the Falkland Islands War|publisher=psywar.org|accessdate=2007-07-23}}</ref>
{{see also|List of Falkland Islands placenames}}


The name "Falkland Islands" comes from ], the ] that separates the two main islands.{{sfn|Jones|2009|p=73}} The name "Falkland" was applied to the channel by ], captain of an English expedition that landed on the islands in 1690. Strong named the strait in honour of ], the ] who sponsored his journey.<ref>See:
==History==
*{{harvnb|Dotan|2010|p=165}},
{{Main|History of the Falkland Islands|Timeline of the history of the Falkland Islands}}
*{{harvnb|Room|2006|p=129}}.</ref> The Viscount's title originates from the town of ], Scotland—the town's name probably comes from a ] term referring to an "enclosure" ({{Lang|gd|lann}}),{{efn-ua|According to researcher Simon Taylor, the exact Gaelic etymology is unclear as the "falk" in the name could have stood for "hidden" (''falach''), "wash" (''failc''), or "heavy rain" (''falc'').{{sfn|Taylor|Márkus|2005|p=158}}}} but it could less plausibly be from the Anglo-Saxon term "folkland" (land held by ]).{{sfn|Room|2006|p=129}} The name "Falklands" was not applied to the islands until 1765, when ] captain ] of the ] claimed them for King ] as "Falkland's Islands".<ref>See:
*{{harvnb|Paine|2000|p=45}},
*{{harvnb|Room|2006|p=129}}.</ref> The term "Falklands" is a standard abbreviation used to refer to the islands.


The common Spanish name for the archipelago, ''Islas Malvinas'', derives from the French ''Îles Malouines''—the name given to the islands by ] explorer ] in 1764.{{sfn|Hince|2001|p=121}} Bougainville, who founded the islands' first settlement, named the area after the port of ] (the point of departure for his ships and colonists).<ref>See:
The islands were uninhabited when they were first discovered by ], but there is evidence that ]n Indians may have reached the Falklands in canoes.<ref name="royalnavy.mod.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/visitandlearn/learning-zone/locations/falkland-islands/history/ |title=History : Falkland Islands : Locations : Welcome to the Learning Zone : Visit & Learn |publisher=Royalnavy.mod.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> Artifacts including ]s and the remains of a ] have been found on the islands.<ref name="britishislesgenweb.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.britishislesgenweb.org/index.php/falkland-islands |title=Falkland Islands |publisher=Britishislesgenweb.org |date=2009-01-20 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> There was also the presence of the ], or ] (now extinct), but warrahs may have reached the islands via a ] when the ] was much lower during the last ]. A group of islands appeared on maps in the Falkland Island region from the early 16th century, so either Ferdinand Magellan or another early expedition may have sighted them. ] may have sighted the islands in 1502, but he did not name them. In 1519 or 1520, Esteban Gómez, a captain in Magellan’s expedition, encountered several islands that members of his crew called "Islas de Sansón y de los Patos" ("Islands of Samson and the Ducks"). These were probably the Jason Islands, northwest of West Falkland, and the names "Islas de Sansón" (or "San Antón," "San Son," and "Ascensión") were used for the Falklands on Spanish maps during this period.<ref name="royalnavy.mod.uk"/> ], a Turkish admiral of the time who drew reasonably accurate maps, showed islands that may well have been the Falkland Islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/198001/piri.reis.and.the.hapgood.hypotheses.htm |title=Piri Reis and the Hapgood Hypotheses |authors= Paul F. Hoye and Paul Lunde |year=1980 |work=Saudi Aramco World |publisher=Saudi Aramco World |accessdate=10 April 2010}} Piri Reis' information appears to have been partly based on an original chart drawn or used by Christopher Columbus and captured by the Turks from the Spanish.</ref>
*{{harvnb|Hince|2001|p=121}},
*{{harvnb|Room|2006|p=129}}.</ref> The port, located in the ] region of western France, was named after ] (or Maclou), the Christian ] who founded the city.{{sfn|Balmaceda|2011|loc=Chapter 36}}


In 1965, at the 20th session<ref>{{cite web |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/745657?ln=en |title=United Nations General Assembly Twentieth Session |publisher=United Nations Digital Library |date=1967 |access-date=24 January 2023 }}</ref> of the ], the ] determined that, in all languages other than Spanish, all UN documentation would designate the territory as ''Falkland Islands (Malvinas)''. In Spanish, the territory was designated as ''Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands)''.{{sfn|Foreign Office|1961|p=80}} The nomenclature used by the United Nations for statistical processing purposes is ''Falkland Islands (Malvinas)''.<ref name="std_name">{{cite web |url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49alpha.htm |title=Standard Country and Area Codes Classifications |publisher=United Nations Statistics Division |date=13 February 2013 |access-date=3 July 2013 |archive-date=28 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628144412/http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49alpha.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
] was the only native mammal found on the islands upon discovery by Europeans]]


==History==
=== Early Explorers ===
{{Main|History of the Falkland Islands|Timeline of the history of the Falkland Islands}}
There is some dispute about which European explorer first set foot on the islands. The islands appear on numerous Spanish and other maps beginning in the 1520s.<ref name="britishislesgenweb.org"/> The English explorer ], commander of the ''Desire'', one of the ships belonging to Thomas Cavendish's second expedition to the New World, is recorded as having visited the islands in 1592.<ref>{{cite web|last=Molle |first=Kris |url=http://www.polarconservation.org/education/explorers/john-davis |title=John Davis — Polar Conservation Organisation |publisher=Polarconservation.org |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> He was separated from Cavendish off the coast of what is now southern Argentina by a severe storm and discovered the islands. For a time the islands were known as "Davis Land".<ref name="royalnavy.mod.uk"/> In 1594, the English commander Richard Hawkins visited the islands. Combining his own name with that of Queen Elizabeth I, the "Virgin Queen", he gave them the name of "Hawkins' Maidenland." Many give the credit to ], a ]man, who discovered the islands in 1600.<ref name="britishislesgenweb.org"/>


Although ] from ] may have visited the Falkland Islands in prehistoric times,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hamley |first1=Kit M. |last2=Gill |first2=Jacquelyn L. |last3=Krasinski |first3=Kathryn E. |last4=Groff |first4=Dulcinea V. |last5=Hall |first5=Brenda L. |last6=Sandweiss |first6=Daniel H. |last7=Southon |first7=John R. |last8=Brickle |first8=Paul |last9=Lowell |first9=Thomas V. |date=29 October 2021 |title=Evidence of prehistoric human activity in the Falkland Islands |journal=Science Advances |language=en |volume=7 |issue=44 |pages=eabh3803 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.abh3803 |pmid=34705512 |pmc=8550247 |bibcode=2021SciA....7.3803H |issn=2375-2548}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=G. Hattersley-Smith |date=June 1983 |title=Fuegian Indians in the Falkland Islands |journal=] |volume=21 |issue=135 |pages=605–06 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/S003224740002204X|bibcode=1983PoRec..21..605H |s2cid=129083566 |issn = 0032-2474}}</ref> the islands were uninhabited when Europeans first explored them.{{sfn|Carafano|2005|p=367}} European claims of discovery date back to the 16th century, but no consensus exists on whether early explorers sighted the Falklands or other islands in the South Atlantic.<ref name="M White">{{cite news |first=Michael |last=White |title=Who first owned the Falkland Islands? |newspaper=] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/blog/2012/feb/02/who-first-owned-falkland-islands? |date=2 February 2012 |access-date=3 July 2013 |archive-date=10 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210011353/http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blog/2012/feb/02/who-first-owned-falkland-islands |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Goebel|1971|pp=xiv–xv}}{{efn-ua|Based on his analysis of Falkland Islands discovery claims, historian ] concludes that " number of countries could therefore lay some claim to the archipelago under the heading of first discoverers: Spain, Holland, Britain, and even Italy and Portugal&nbsp;– although the last two claimants might be stretching things a little."{{sfn|Dunmore|2005|p=93}}}} The first undisputed landing on the islands is attributed to English captain John Strong, who, en route to ] and ]'s littoral in 1690, explored the Falkland Sound and noted the islands' water and game.<ref>See:
In January 1690, Captain John Strong of the ''Welfare'' was heading for ] (now in Argentina). Driven off course by contrary winds, he reached the Sebald Islands instead and landed at Bold Cove. He sailed between the two principal islands and called the passage "Falkland Channel" (now ]), after ], who as Commissioner of the ] had financed the expedition (Cary later became First Lord of the Admiralty). The island group later took its English name from this body of water.
*{{harvnb|Gustafson|1988|p=5}},
*{{harvnb|Headland|1989|p=66}},
*{{harvnb|Heawood|2011|p=182}}.</ref>


The Falklands remained uninhabited until the 1764 establishment of ] on ] by French captain ] and the 1765 foundation of ] on ] by Captain ]; the latter settlement being expanded by British captain ] a year later.{{efn-ua|In 1764, Bougainville claimed the islands in the name of ]. In 1765, British captain John Byron claimed the islands in the name of ].{{sfn|Gustafson|1988|pp=9–10}}{{sfn|Dunmore|2005|pp=139–40}}}} Whether or not the settlements were aware of each other's existence is debated by historians.<ref>See:
=== The first settlements (1764 - 1811) ===
*{{harvnb|Goebel|1971|pp=226, 232, 269}},
The first settlement on the Falkland Islands, named ], was founded by the French navigator and military commander Louis Antoine de Bougainville on Berkeley Sound, in present-day ], ] in 1764.
*{{harvnb|Gustafson|1988|pp=9–10}}.</ref> In 1766, ] surrendered its claim on the Falklands to ], which renamed the French colony ] the following year.{{sfn|Segal|1991|p=240}} Problems began when Spain detected and ] in 1770. ] was narrowly avoided by its restitution to Britain in 1771.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=26}}


The British and Spanish settlements coexisted in the archipelago until 1774, when Britain's new economic and strategic considerations led it to withdraw the garrison from the islands, leaving a plaque claiming the Falklands for King George III.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|pp=26–27}} Spain's ] became the only formal presence in the territory. ] was left abandoned, and Puerto Soledad became a penal colony.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=27}} Amid the ] during the ] in Europe, the islands' governor evacuated the archipelago in 1806; Spain's remaining colonial garrison followed suit in 1811, except for ]s and fishermen who remained voluntarily.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=27}}
], by ], 1759.]]


Thereafter, the archipelago was visited only by fishing ships; its political status was undisputed until 1820, when Colonel ], an American ] working for the ], informed anchored ships about ]' 1816 claim to Spain's territories in the South Atlantic.<ref>See:
In January 1765, the British captain ], unaware of the French presence, explored and claimed ], at the western end of the group, where he named the harbour of ]. He sailed near other islands, which he also claimed for ]. A British settlement was built at Port Egmont in 1766. Also in 1766, Spain acquired the French colony, and after assuming effective control in 1767, placed the islands under a governor subordinate to the ]. Spain attacked Port Egmont, ending the British presence there in 1770. The expulsion of the British settlement ], but a peace treaty allowed the British to return to Port Egmont in 1771 with neither side relinquishing sovereignty.<ref name="briefhistory2">. Retrieved 2007-09-08.</ref>
*{{harvnb|Gibran|1998|p=27}},
*{{harvnb|Marley|2008|p=714}}.</ref>{{efn-ua|According to Argentine legal analyst Roberto Laver, the United Kingdom disregards Jewett's actions because the government he represented "was not recognised either by Britain or any other foreign power at the time" and "no act of occupation followed the ceremony of claiming possession".{{sfn|Laver|2001|p=73}}}} Since the islands had no permanent inhabitants, in 1823 Buenos Aires granted German-born merchant ] permission to conduct fishing activities and exploit feral cattle in the archipelago.{{efn-ua|Before leaving for the Falklands Vernet stamped his grant at the British Consulate, repeating this when Buenos Aires extended his grant in 1828.{{sfn|Cawkell|2001|pp=48–50}} The cordial relationship between the consulate and Vernet led him to express "the wish that, in the event of the British returning to the islands, ] would take his settlement under their protection".{{sfn|Cawkell|2001|p=50}}}} Vernet settled at the ruins of Puerto Soledad in 1826, and accumulated resources on the islands until the venture was secure enough to bring settlers and form a permanent colony.<ref>See:
*{{harvnb|Gibran|1998|pp=27–28}},
*{{harvnb|Sicker|2002|p=32}}.</ref> Buenos Aires named Vernet military and civil commander of the islands in 1829,{{sfn|Pascoe|Pepper|2008|pp=540–46}} and he attempted to regulate sealing to stop the activities of foreign whalers and sealers.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=27}} Vernet's venture lasted until a dispute related to fishing and hunting rights led to ] by the ] ] in 1831,{{sfn|Pascoe|Pepper|2008|pp=541–44}}{{efn-ua|The log of the ''"Lexington"'' only reports the destruction of arms and a powder store, but Vernet made a claim for compensation from the US Government stating that the entire settlement was destroyed.{{sfn|Pascoe|Pepper|2008|pp=541–44}}}} when ] commander ] declared the dissolution of the island's government.{{sfn|Peterson|1964|p=106}}


], shepherds and sheep in 1849 (painting by Royal Navy Admiral ])]]
In 1774, as a result of economic pressures leading up to the ], the United Kingdom withdrew unilaterally from many of her overseas settlements, including Port Egmont.<ref> A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS: Part 2 - Fort St. Louis and Port Egmont</ref><ref> FALKLAND ISLANDS TIMELINE: A chronology of events in the history of the Falkland Islands</ref> Upon her withdrawal in 1776 the UK left behind a ] asserting her claims. From 1776 until 1811 Spain maintained a settlement administered from ] as part of the ]. Spain left in 1811, a year after her colonies of the Viceroyalty of the River Plate (within which the islands were placed) revolted against her.


Buenos Aires attempted to gain influence over the settlement by installing a garrison in October 1832, which mutinied within a month and was followed the next year by the arrival of British forces, who ].{{sfn|Graham-Yooll|2002|p=50}} The ] (headed by Buenos Aires Governor ]) protested against Britain's actions,{{sfn|Reginald|Elliot|1983|pp=25–26}}{{efn-ua|As discussed by Roberto Laver, not only did Rosas not break relations with Britain because of the "essential" nature of "British economic support", but he offered the Falklands "as a bargaining chip&nbsp;... in exchange for the cancellation of Argentina's million-pound debt with the British bank of ]".{{sfn|Laver|2001|pp=122–23}} In 1850, Rosas' government ratified the ], which put "an end to the existing differences, and of restoring perfect relations of friendship" between the United Kingdom and Argentina.{{sfn|Hertslet|1851|p=105}}}} and Argentine governments have continued since then to register official protests against Britain.{{sfn|Gustafson|1988|pp=34–35}}{{efn-ua|Argentina protested in 1841, 1849, 1884, 1888, 1908, 1927 and 1933, and has made annual protests to the United Nations since 1946.{{sfn|Gustafson|1988|p=34}}}} The British troops departed after completing their mission, leaving the area without formal government.{{sfn|Graham-Yooll|2002|pp=51–52}} Vernet's deputy, the Scotsman ], returned to the islands that year to restore the business, but his efforts ended after, amid unrest at Port Louis, gaucho ] led a group of dissatisfied individuals to murder Brisbane and the settlement's senior leaders; survivors hid in a cave on a nearby island until the British returned and restored order.{{sfn|Graham-Yooll|2002|pp=51–52}} In 1840, the Falklands became a ] and Scottish settlers subsequently established an official pastoral community.{{sfn|Aldrich|Connell|1998|p=201}} Four years later, nearly everyone relocated to Port Jackson, considered a better location for the government, and merchant ] began a venture to encourage British colonisation.<ref>See:
=== The Argentine settlement (1820 - 1833) ===
*{{harvnb|Bernhardson|2011|loc=Stanley and Vicinity: History}},
On 6 November 1820, Colonel ] raised the flag of the ] (Argentina) at Port Louis. Jewett was an American sailor and ] in the employment of Buenos Aires businessman ] to captain his ship, the frigate ] (Lynch had obtained a ] from the Buenos Aires Supreme Director José Rondeau). Jewett had put into the islands the previous month, following a disastrous eight month voyage with most of his crew disabled by scurvy and disease. After resting in the islands and repairing his ship he returned to Buenos Aires.
*{{harvnb|Reginald|Elliot|1983|pp=9, 27}}.</ref>


], as Port Jackson was soon renamed, officially became the seat of government in 1845.{{sfn|Reginald|Elliot|1983|p=9}} Early in its history, Stanley had a negative reputation due to cargo-shipping losses; only in emergencies would ships rounding ] stop at the port.{{sfn|Bernhardson|2011|loc=Stanley and Vicinity: History}} Nevertheless, the Falklands' geographic location proved ideal for ship repairs and the "Wrecking Trade", the business of selling and buying shipwrecks and their cargoes.{{sfn|Strange|1987|pp=72–74}} Aside from this trade, commercial interest in the archipelago was minimal due to the low-value hides of the feral cattle roaming the pastures. Economic growth began only after the ], which bought out Lafone's failing enterprise in 1851,{{efn-ua|There were continual tensions with the colonial administration over Lafone's failure to establish any permanent settlers, and over the price of beef supplied to the settlement. Moreover, although his concession required Lafone to bring settlers from the UK, most of the settlers he brought were gauchos from Uruguay.{{sfn|Strange|1987|p=84}}}} successfully introduced ] for wool farming, spurring other farms to follow suit.<ref name="Bernhardson 2011 loc=Stanley and Vicinity: History">See:
In 1828 the Argentines founded a settlement and a penal colony. United States warships destroyed this settlement in 1831 after the Argentine governor of the islands ] seized US seal hunting ships during a dispute over fishing rights. Escaped prisoners and pirates were left behind. In November 1832, Argentina sent another governor who was killed in a mutiny.
*{{harvnb|Bernhardson|2011|loc=Stanley and Vicinity: History}},
*{{harvnb|Reginald|Elliot|1983|p=9}}.</ref> The high cost of importing materials, combined with the shortage of labour and consequent high wages, meant the ship repair trade became uncompetitive. After 1870 it declined as the replacement of sail ships by ]s was accelerated by the low cost of coal in South America; by 1914, with the opening of the ], the trade effectively ended.{{sfn|Strange|1987|pp=72–73}} In 1881, the Falkland Islands became financially independent of Britain.{{sfn|Reginald|Elliot|1983|p=9}} For more than a century, the Falkland Islands Company dominated the trade and employment of the archipelago; in addition, it owned most housing in Stanley, which greatly benefited from the wool trade with the UK.<ref name="Bernhardson 2011 loc=Stanley and Vicinity: History"/>


] (painting by ])]]
Meanwhile, during the early 19th century, British attempts to acquire colonies in the ] area had began feverishly. In 1806, British forces attacked and captured ]. Also in 1806, ]<ref></ref><ref>http://www.historytimes.com/fresh-perspectives-in-history/british-and-irish-history/451-pirates-or-liberators-the-british-invasion-of-buenos-aires-in-1806 The British invasions of Buenos aires in 1806</ref>. When ] broke away from Spain, in 1810, it was clear that the new nation had inherited the Spanish claim. British failure to seize control of Buenos Aires meant that capturing the islands became imperative, as it would be Britain's only way to control the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific.


In the first half of the 20th century, the Falklands served an important role in Britain's territorial claims to ] islands and a section of Antarctica. The Falklands governed these territories as the ] starting in 1908 and retained them until their dissolution in 1985.{{sfn|Day|2013|p=129–30}} The Falklands also played a minor role in the two world wars as a military base aiding control of the South Atlantic. In the ] ] in December 1914, a Royal Navy fleet defeated an ] squadron. In the ], following the December 1939 ], the battle-damaged ] steamed to the Falklands for repairs.{{sfn|Carafano|2005|p=367}} In 1942, a battalion en route to India was redeployed to the Falklands as a garrison amid fears of a Japanese seizure of the archipelago.{{sfn|Haddelsey|Carroll|2014|loc=Prologue}} After the war ended, the Falklands economy was affected by declining wool prices and the political uncertainty resulting from the revived sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina.{{sfn|Bernhardson|2011|loc=Stanley and Vicinity: History}}
=== The British colony (1833 - date) ===
In 1833 British forces returned and informed the Argentine commander that they intended to reassert British sovereignty. The existing settlers were allowed to remain, with an Irish member of Vernet's settlement, William Dickson, appointed as the Islands' governor. Vernet's deputy, Matthew Brisbane, returned later that year and was informed that the British had no objections to the continuation of Vernet's business ventures provided there was no interference with British control.<ref>{{cite book|first=Laurio H.|last=Destéfani|title=The Malvinas, the South Georgias and the South Sandwich Islands, the conflict with Britain|location=Buenos Aires|year=1982}}</ref><ref>]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=EHBeagleDiary&viewtype=text&pageseq=304&keywords=falklands |title=Darwin's Beagle Diary (1831–1836)|page=304|publisher=The Complete Works of Charles Darwin Online|accessdate=2007-07-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpel.uba.ar/filargenta/correo/malv0020.htm|title=Ocupación británica: Port Stanley (Puerto Argentino)|language=Spanish|accessdate=2007-07-23|publisher=}}</ref>


Simmering tensions between the UK and Argentina increased during the second half of the century, when Argentine President ] asserted sovereignty over the archipelago.{{sfn|Zepeda|2005|p=102}} The sovereignty dispute intensified during the 1960s, shortly after the United Nations passed a resolution on ] which Argentina interpreted as favourable to its position.{{sfn|Laver|2001|p=125}} In 1965, the UN General Assembly passed ], calling for both states to conduct bilateral negotiations to reach a peaceful settlement of the dispute.{{sfn|Laver|2001|p=125}} From 1966 until 1968, the UK confidentially discussed with Argentina the transfer of the Falklands, assuming its judgement would be accepted by the islanders.{{sfn|Thomas|1991|p=24}} An agreement on trade ties between the archipelago and the mainland was reached in 1971 and, consequently, Argentina built a temporary airfield at Stanley in 1972.{{sfn|Reginald|Elliot|1983|p=9}} Nonetheless, Falklander dissent, as expressed by their strong lobby in the ], and tensions between the UK and ] effectively limited sovereignty negotiations until 1977.{{sfn|Thomas|1991|pp=24–27}}
].]]
The ] built a base at ], and the islands became a strategic point for navigation around ]. A ] naval battle, the ], took place in December 1914, with a British victory over the smaller ] Asiatic Fleet. During ], Stanley served as a Royal Navy station and serviced ships which took part in the 1939 ].


Concerned at the expense of maintaining the Falkland Islands in an era of budget cuts, the UK again considered transferring sovereignty to Argentina in the early ].<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/28/falklands.past |title=UK held secret talks to cede sovereignty: ''Minister met junta envoy in Switzerland, official war history reveals'' |newspaper=The Guardian |date=28 June 2005 |access-date=12 June 2014 |first1=Richard |last1=Norton-Taylor |first2=Rob |last2=Evans |archive-date=19 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140919011057/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/jun/28/falklands.past |url-status=live }}</ref> Substantive sovereignty talks again ended by 1981, and the dispute escalated with passing time.{{sfn|Thomas|1991|pp=28–31}} In April 1982 the ] began when Argentine military forces ] and other ], briefly ] until a UK ] retook the territories in June.<ref>See:
Sovereignty over the islands again became an issue in the second half of the 20th century. Argentina saw the creation of the ] as an opportunity to present its claim to the islands to the rest of the world. When signing the ] in 1945, Argentina stated that it reserved its right to sovereignty of the islands, and its right to recover them. The United Kingdom's response was to state that the ] first had to vote for the British withdrawal in a ] and that this was an essential precondition for the fulfilment of ] on de-colonising all territories still under foreign occupation,
*{{harvnb|Reginald|Elliot|1983|pp=5, 10–12, 67}},
*{{harvnb|Zepeda|2005|pp=102–03}}.</ref> After the war the UK expanded its military presence, building ] and increasing the size of its garrison.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|pp=130–35}} The war also left some 117 minefields containing nearly 20,000 mines of various types, including anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines.<ref name="BBC_Mines">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8564061.stm |title=The Long Road to Clearing Falklands Landmines |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=14 March 2010 |work=BBC News |access-date=29 June 2014 |archive-date=4 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304122712/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8564061.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to the large number of ] casualties, initial attempts to clear the mines ceased in 1983.<ref name="BBC_Mines"/>{{efn-ua|The minefields were fenced off and marked; there remain unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices.<ref name="BBC_Mines"/> Detection and clearance of mines in the Falklands has proven difficult as some were air-delivered and not in marked fields; approximately 80% lie in sand or peat, where the position of mines can shift, making removal procedures difficult.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ruan |first1=Juan Carlos |last2=Macheme |first2=Jill E. |date=August 2001 |title=Landmines in the Sand: The Falkland Islands |url=http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/journal/5.2/focus/falklands.htm |journal=The Journal of ERW and Mine Action |publisher=James Madison University |volume=5 |issue=2 |issn=1533-6905 |access-date=29 June 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714164355/http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/journal/5.2/focus/falklands.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>}} Demining operations recommenced in 2009 and were completed in October 2020.<ref name="PenguinNews">{{Cite magazine |date=23 October 2020 |title=Falklands community invited to 'Reclaim the Beach' to celebrate completion of demining – Penguin News |url=https://penguin-news.com/headlines/community/2020/falklands-community-invited-to-reclaim-the-beach-to-celebrate-completion-of-demining/ |magazine=Penguin News |language=en-GB |access-date=23 October 2020 |archive-date=27 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027070620/https://penguin-news.com/headlines/community/2020/falklands-community-invited-to-reclaim-the-beach-to-celebrate-completion-of-demining/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


Based on ]'s recommendations, the Falklands diversified from a sheep-based monoculture into an economy of tourism and, with the establishment of the Falklands ], fisheries.{{sfn|Cawkell|2001|p=147}}{{efn-ua|In 1976, Lord Shackleton produced a report into the economic future of the islands; but his recommendations were not implemented because Britain sought to avoid confronting Argentina over sovereignty.{{sfn|Cawkell|2001|p=147}} Lord Shackleton was once again tasked, in 1982, to produce a report into the economic development of the islands. His new report criticised the large farming companies, and recommended transferring ownership of farms from absentee landlords to local landowners. Shackleton also suggested diversifying the economy into fishing, oil exploration, and tourism; moreover, he recommended the establishment of a road network, and conservation measures to preserve the islands' natural resources.{{sfn|Cawkell|2001|p=147}}}} The road network was also made more extensive, and the construction of ] allowed access to ] flights.{{sfn|Cawkell|2001|p=147}} ] also began in the 2010s, with indications of possible commercially exploitable deposits in the Falklands basin.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/nov/23/desire-petroleum-optimistic-falklands-oil-prospects |title=Desire Petroleum optimistic over Falklands oil prospects |author=Fletcher, Nick |date=23 November 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=8 June 2021 |archive-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608201007/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/nov/23/desire-petroleum-optimistic-falklands-oil-prospects |url-status=live }}</ref> Landmine clearance work restarted in 2009, in accordance with the UK's obligations under the ], and ] Corral was cleared of mines in 2012, allowing access to an important historical landmark for the first time in 30 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9169829/The-Falkland-Islands-30-years-after-the-war-with-Argentina.html?frame=2178743 |title=The Falkland Islands, 30 Years After the War with Argentina |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |access-date=29 June 2014 |archive-date=31 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731025356/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9169829/The-Falkland-Islands-30-years-after-the-war-with-Argentina.html?frame=2178743 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2011/12/08/falklands-land-mine-clearance-set-to-enter-a-new-expanded-phase-in-early-2012 |title=Falklands' Land Mine Clearance Set to Enter a New Expanded Phase in Early 2012 |author=Grant Munro |date=8 December 2011 |newspaper=MercoPress |access-date=29 June 2014 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162622/http://en.mercopress.com/2011/12/08/falklands-land-mine-clearance-set-to-enter-a-new-expanded-phase-in-early-2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Argentina and the UK re-established diplomatic relations in 1990, but neither has agreed on the terms of future sovereignty discussions.<ref>See:
Talks between British and Argentine foreign missions took place in the 1960s, but failed to come to any meaningful conclusion. A major sticking point in all the negotiations was that the two thousand inhabitants of mainly British descent preferred that the islands remain British territory.
*{{harvnb|Lansford|2012|p=1528}},
*{{harvnb|Zepeda|2005|pp=102–03}}.</ref>


==Government==
One result of the these talks, however, was the creation of the islands' first air link. In 1971, the ] (FAA), which operates the state airline ], began ] between ] and Stanley using ] aircraft.<ref>{{Dead link|date=March 2010}}</ref> The following year, Britain agreed to allow Argentina to build a temporary air strip, which was completed that November. Flights between Stanley and Comodoro Rivadavia continued twice a week using ] and later ] aircraft following the construction of the permanent air strip until 1982.<ref name = "LADE"> Argentine National Congress, Chamber of Deputies. ''Líneas Aéreas Del Estado, LADE''.</ref><ref name = "Albatross"> Asociación Tripulantes de Transporte Aéreo. Argentine Air Force, ''Grumman HU-16B Albatross''.</ref><ref name = "FAA"> Asociación Tripulantes de Transporte Aéreo. Argentine Air Force, ''Fokker F-27 Troopship/Friendship''</ref> During the same period, ], the Argentine national oil and gas company, now part of ], supplied the islands' energy needs.

===Falklands War - 1982 ===
{{Main|Falklands War}}
] guard Argentine ]]] On 2 April 1982, Argentina ] and other British territories in the South Atlantic (]). The ] which had ruled Argentina since 1976 sought to maintain power by diverting public attention from the nation's ] and exploiting the long-standing feelings of the Argentines towards the islands.<ref>{{PDFlink||185&nbsp;KB}}</ref> Several British writers hold that the United Kingdom's reduction in military capacity in the South Atlantic also encouraged the invasion.<ref>{{cite news | title = Guide to the conflict | work = Fight for the Falklands — 20 years on | publisher =BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/falklands/guide2.stm | quote = The Foreign Secretary, ], and two junior ministers had resigned by the end of the week <nowiki></nowiki>. They took the blame for Britain's poor preparations and plans to decommission ], the Navy's only Antarctic patrol vessel. It was a move which may have lead the Junta to believe the UK had little interest in keeping the Falklands. | accessdate =2007-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title =Secret Falklands fleet revealed | work =] | quote =], who was foreign secretary in 1977, said that if ]'s Conservative government had taken similar action to that of five years earlier, the war would not have happened. | publisher =] | date =2005-06-01 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4597581.stm | accessdate =2007-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last =Casciani | first =Dominic | title =1976 Falklands invasion warning | work =] | quote =The ] Report into the eventual war noted that as tension mounted during 1977, the government covertly sent a small naval force to the islands — but did not repeat the move when relations worsened again in 1981–2. This has led some critics to blame prime minister Margaret Thatcher for the war, saying the decision to plan the withdrawal of the only naval vessel in the area sent the wrong signal to the military junta in Buenos Aires. | publisher =] | date =2006-12-29 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6213121.stm | accessdate =}}</ref>

The ] issued ], calling on Argentina to withdraw forces from the Islands and for both parties to seek a diplomatic solution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historycentral.com/HistoricalDocuments/UNReso502.html |title=HistoryCentral. United Nations Resolution 502, '&#39;Adopted by the Security Council at its 2350th meeting held on 3 April 1982.'&#39; |publisher=Historycentral.com |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> International reaction ranged from support for Argentina in ]n countries (except ] and ]), to opposition in the ] and Europe (apart from Spain), and eventually the United States.

The British sent an ] to retake the islands, leading to the ]. After short but fierce naval and air battles, the British landed at San Carlos Water on 21 May, and a land campaign followed until the Argentine forces surrendered on 14 June 1982.

The War led to the deaths of 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen.

After the war, the British increased their military presence on the islands, constructing ] and increasing the military garrison. Although the United Kingdom and Argentina resumed diplomatic relations in 1992, no further negotiations on sovereignty have taken place.

==Politics==
{{Main|Politics of the Falkland Islands}} {{Main|Politics of the Falkland Islands}}
] in ] is the Governor's ].]]


The Falkland Islands are a ] ].{{sfn|Cahill|2010|loc="Falkland Islands"}} Under the ], the islands have full internal self-government; the UK is responsible for foreign affairs, retaining the power "to protect UK interests and to ensure the overall good governance of the territory".<ref name="Constitution">{{cite news |title=New Year begins with a new Constitution for the Falklands |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2009/01/01/new-year-begins-with-a-new-constitution-for-the-falklands |newspaper=MercoPress |date=1 January 2009 |access-date=9 July 2013 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192759/http://en.mercopress.com/2009/01/01/new-year-begins-with-a-new-constitution-for-the-falklands |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] is the head of state, and executive authority is exercised on the monarch's behalf by the ], who appoints the islands' ] on the advice of members of the ].<ref name="constitutiontext">{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/2846/pdfs/uksi_20082846_en.pdf |title=The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008 |publisher=The Queen in Council |date=5 November 2008 |access-date=9 July 2013 |archive-date=9 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709031954/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/2846/pdfs/uksi_20082846_en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Both the governor and the chief executive serve as the ].{{sfn|Buckman|2012|p=394}}
] of the United Kingdom and his consort ].]]


Governor ] was appointed in July 2022<ref>{{cite news |title=As of Saturday, Falklands have the first woman Governor, Ms Alison Blake CMG |url=https://en.mercopress.com/2022/07/23/as-of-saturday-falklands-have-the-first-woman-governor-ms-alison-blake-cmg |work=MercoPress |date=23 July 2022}}</ref> and Chief Executive Andy Keeling was appointed in April 2021.<ref>{{cite news |title=Andy Keeling: New Chief Executive to arrive in the Falklands next week |url=https://en.mercopress.com/2021/03/23/andy-keeling-new-chief-executive-to-arrive-in-the-falklands-next-week |work=MercoPress |date=23 March 2021}}</ref> The UK minister responsible for the Falkland Islands since 2024, ], administers British foreign policy regarding the islands.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minister of State (Europe, North America and Overseas Territories) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--178 |website=GOV.UK}}</ref>
] is vested in the ] and is exercised by the ] on her behalf. The Governor is also responsible for the administration of ], as these islands have no native inhabitants. Defence and Foreign Affairs are the responsibility of the United Kingdom. The current Governor is ], appointed July 2006.


The governor acts on the advice of the islands' ], composed of the chief executive, the ] and three elected members of the Legislative Assembly (with the governor as chairman).<ref name="constitutiontext" /> The Legislative Assembly, a ], consists of the chief executive, the director of finance and eight members (five from Stanley and three from ]) elected to four-year terms by ].<ref name="constitutiontext" /> All politicians in the Falkland Islands are ]; no political parties exist on the islands.{{sfn|Central Intelligence Agency|2011|loc="Falkland Islands (Malvinas)&nbsp;– Government"}} Since the ], members of the Legislative Assembly have received a salary and are expected to work full-time and give up all previously held jobs or business interests.<ref>{{cite news |title=Falklands lawmakers: "The full time problem" |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2013/10/28/falklands-lawmakers-the-full-time-problem |newspaper=MercoPress |date=28 October 2013 |access-date=1 July 2014 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029213124/http://en.mercopress.com/2013/10/28/falklands-lawmakers-the-full-time-problem |url-status=live }}</ref>
Under the ], which came into force on 1 January 2009<ref>, ], 6 November 2008</ref> (which replaced the 1985 constitution), there is an ] and a ]. The ], which advises the Governor, is also chaired by the Governor. It consists of the Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and three Legislative Councillors, who are elected by the other Legislative Councillors.


As a territory of the United Kingdom, the Falklands were part of the ] of the European Union until ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/octs_and_greenland/index_en.htm |title=EU relations with Overseas Countries and Territories |date=4 June 2014 |author=EuropeAid |publisher=European Commission |access-date=15 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701021720/http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/where/octs_and_greenland/index_en.htm |archive-date=1 July 2014}}</ref> The islands' judicial system, overseen by the ], is largely based on ],{{sfn|Sainato|2010|pp=157–158}} and the constitution binds the territory to the principles of the ].<ref name="Constitution" /> Residents have the right of appeal to the ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/217278/british-overseas-territories.pdf |title=A New Approach to the British Overseas Territories |publisher=Ministry of Justice |year=2012 |page=4 |location=London |access-date=25 August 2013 |archive-date=29 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191402/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/217278/british-overseas-territories.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=2006 |number=3205 |si=The Falkland Islands (Appeals to Privy Council) (Amendment) Order 2009}}</ref> Law enforcement is the responsibility of the ] (RFIP).{{sfn|Sainato|2010|pp=157–158}}
The Legislative Council consists of the Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and the eight Legislative Councillors, of whom five are elected from Stanley and three from ], for four-year terms. It is presided over by the Speaker, currently Keith Biles.


===Defence===
The ] includes Falkland Islands on the ].
{{Main|Military of the Falkland Islands}}
Defence of the islands is provided by the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Central Intelligence Agency|2011|loc="Falkland Islands (Malvinas)&nbsp;– Transportation"}} A British military garrison is stationed on the islands, and the Falkland Islands government funds an additional ] to ]-sized ] ].<ref name="timesfidf">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7052002.ece |title=Falklands Defence Force better equipped than ever, says commanding officer |date=6 March 2010 |author=Martin Fletcher |newspaper=The Times |access-date=18 March 2011 |archive-date=11 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511114151/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Falklands claim an ] (EEZ) extending {{cvt|200|nmi|km}} from its coastal baselines, based on the ]; this zone overlaps with the EEZ of Argentina.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/resources/south_atlantic/ |title=Argentina and UK claims to maritime jurisdiction in the South Atlantic and Southern Oceans |author=International Boundaries Research Unit |publisher=Durham University |access-date=26 June 2014 |archive-date=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502070949/https://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/resources/south_atlantic/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


===Relations with Argentina=== ===Sovereignty dispute===
{{Main|Sovereignty of the Falkland Islands}} {{Main|Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute}}
The dispute over control of the islands has continued since the war. Diplomatic relations between Argentina and the UK were resumed in 1992, and embassies were reopened in London and Buenos Aires. In 1994, Argentina added its claim to the islands to the ], stating that this claim must be pursued in a manner "respectful of the way of life of their inhabitants and according to the principles of international law"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Argentina/argen94_e.html |title="Argentina Constitution, Georgetown University" |publisher=Pdba.georgetown.edu |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> (see: ]).


The UK and Argentina both assert sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. The UK bases its position on its continuous administration of the islands since 1833 and the islanders' "right to ] as set out in the ]".{{sfn|Lansford|2012|p=1528}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/mar/28/falkland-islands-sovereignty-argentina |first=Nicholas |last=Watt |title=Falkland Islands sovereignty talks out of the question, says Gordon Brown |newspaper=The Guardian |date=27 March 2009 |access-date=24 August 2013 |archive-date=23 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123070837/http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/28/falkland-islands-sovereignty-argentina |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/supporting-the-falkland-islanders-right-to-self-determination |title=Supporting the Falkland Islanders' right to self-determination |publisher=United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence |work=Policy |date=12 March 2013 |access-date=29 May 2014 |archive-date=25 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325033113/https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/supporting-the-falkland-islanders-right-to-self-determination |url-status=live }}</ref> Argentina claims that, when it ] in 1816, it acquired the Falklands from Spain.<ref name="RIS" /><ref name="auto1">{{cite journal |author=Michael Reisman |date=January 1983 |title=The Struggle for The Falklands |journal=Yale Law Journal |volume=93 |issue=287 |page=306 |publisher=Faculty Scholarship Series |access-date=23 October 2013 |url=http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/ylr93&div=24&collection=journals&set_as_cursor=41&men_tab=srchresults |archive-date=4 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304122731/http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals%2Fylr93&div=24&collection=journals&set_as_cursor=41&men_tab=srchresults |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2004/gacol3105.doc.htm |title=Decolonization Committee Says Argentina, United Kingdom Should Renew Efforts on Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Question |publisher=United Nations |work=Press Release |date=18 June 2004 |access-date=5 April 2020 |archive-date=17 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117031530/https://www.un.org/press/en/2004/gacol3105.doc.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The ] is particularly contentious; Argentina considers it proof of "Britain's usurpation" whereas the UK discounts it as a mere reassertion of its claim.{{sfn|Gustafson|1988|pp=26–27}}{{efn-ua|Argentina considers that, in 1833, the UK established an "illegal occupation" of the Falklands after expelling Argentine authorities and settlers from the islands with a threat of "greater force" and, afterwards, barring Argentines from resettling the islands.<ref name="RIS" /><ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/> The Falkland Islands' government considers that only Argentina's military personnel was expelled in 1833, but its civilian settlers were "invited to stay" and did so except for 2 and their wives.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.falklands.gov.fk/self-governance/relationship-with-argentina/ |title=Relationship with Argentina |publisher=Falkland Island Government |work=Self-Governance |access-date=5 April 2020 |archive-date=7 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007220520/https://www.falklands.gov.fk/self-governance/relationship-with-argentina/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> International affairs scholar Lowell Gustafson considers that "he use of force by the British on the Falkland Islands in 1833 was less dramatic than later Argentine rhetoric has suggested".{{sfn|Gustafson|1988|p=26}}}}
In 1998, in retaliation for the arrest in London of the former Chilean president ], the ]an government banned flights between ] and ], thus isolating the islands from the rest of the world. ] and ] refused to authorise direct flights between their territories and Port Stanley. This forced the Islands' government to enter negotiations with the Argentine government and led to Argentina authorising direct flights between its territory and Stanley, on condition that Argentine citizens be allowed on the islands.<ref> AGREEMENT OF 14th JULY 1999</ref> One flight a month, operated by ], travels between ] on East Falkland and ] in ], Argentina.


In 2009, the British prime minister, ], had a meeting with the Argentine president, ], and said that there would be no further talks over the sovereignty of the Falklands.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7969463.stm |title=No talks on Falklands, says Brown |newspaper=BBC News |date=28 March 2009 |access-date=24 August 2013 |archive-date=11 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711153406/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7969463.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2013, the Falkland Islands held a ] on its political status: 99.8% of votes cast favoured remaining a British overseas territory.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21731760 |title=Falklands referendum: Islanders vote on British status |newspaper=BBC News |date=10 March 2013 |access-date=24 August 2013 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002070421/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21731760 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-falklands-referendum-idUSBRE92B02T20130312 |first1=Marcos |last1=Brindicci |first2=Juan |last2=Bustamante |title=Falkland Islanders vote overwhelmingly to keep British rule |publisher=Reuters |date=12 March 2013 |access-date=24 August 2013 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305040044/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-falklands-referendum-idUSBRE92B02T20130312 |url-status=live }}</ref> Argentina does not recognise the Falkland Islanders as a partner in negotiations.<ref name="RIS">{{cite web |url=http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/es/la-cuestion-de-las-islas-malvinas |title=La Cuestión de las Islas Malvinas |language=es |author=Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores |publisher=Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto (República Argentina) |access-date=10 October 2013 |archive-date=4 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704155811/http://cancilleria.gov.ar/es/la-cuestion-de-las-islas-malvinas |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2013/01/31/timerman-rejects-meeting-falklands-representatives-only-interested-in-bilateral-round-with-hague |title=Timerman rejects meeting Falklands representatives; only interested in 'bilateral round' with Hague |newspaper=MercoPress |date=31 January 2013 |access-date=26 January 2014 |archive-date=2 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202092439/http://en.mercopress.com/2013/01/31/timerman-rejects-meeting-falklands-representatives-only-interested-in-bilateral-round-with-hague |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Laura Smith-Spark |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/10/world/americas/falklands-referendum/ |title=Falkland Islands hold referendum on disputed status |publisher=CNN |date=11 March 2013 |access-date=26 January 2014 |archive-date=12 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712021145/https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/10/world/americas/falklands-referendum/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Since the war, successive Argentine governments have stated their intention to pursue their claim to the islands by peaceful means. On the 22nd anniversary of the war, Argentina's President ] gave a speech insisting that the islands would become part of Argentina. Kirchner, ] in 2003, regarded the islands as a top priority. In June 2003 the issue was brought before a United Nations committee, and attempts have been made to open talks with the United Kingdom to resolve the issue of the islands.


However, in May, 2024, newly elected Argentine president ], expressed general acceptance and tolerance for British rule, for the time being, noting it could take decades for Argentina to gain control of the islands. Though asserting “We relinquish our sovereignty" over the islands, Milei said they would not "seek conflict with the United Kingdom" over them, preferring to resolve the dispute "within the framework of peace."<ref name="decades_2024_05_06_bbc">Wells, Ione; South America correspondent: May 6, 2024, ], retrieved May 7, 2024</ref>
]


==Geography==
In 2007 (exactly 25 years after the Argentine invasion), Argentina renewed its claim over the Falkland Islands, asking for the UK to resume talks on sovereignty.<ref>{{cite news | first=VOA News | last= | coauthors= |authorlink= | title=Argentina Reasserts Claim to Falkland Islands | date=3 January 2007 | publisher=Voice of America | url =http://voanews.com/english/archive/2007-01/2007-01-03-voa29.cfm | work =VOA News | pages = | accessdate = 3 January 2009 | language = }}</ref> In March 2009, British Prime Minister ] stated in a meeting with Argentine President ] that there would be no talks over the future sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.<ref name="Vinadelmar">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7969463.stm BBC News</ref> As far as the governments of the UK and of the Falkland Islands are concerned, there is no issue to resolve. The Falkland Islanders themselves are almost entirely British and maintain their allegiance to the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news
{{Main|Geography of the Falkland Islands}}
|url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/28/falkland-islands-sovereignty-argentina
|title = Falkland Islands sovereignty talks out of the question, says Gordon Brown ]
|publisher = The Guardian
|date = 28 March 2009
|accessdate = 2009-04-29.
| location=London
| first=Nicholas
| last=Watt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/overview.php |title=Falkland Islands Government Overview |publisher=Falklands.gov.fk |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>


The Falkland Islands have a land area of {{cvt|4,700|sqmi}} and a coastline estimated at {{cvt|800|mi}}.<ref>See:
On 22 September 2007, '']'' reported the UK government was preparing to stake new claims on the sea floor around the Falklands and other UK remote island possessions, in order to exploit natural resources that may be present.<ref name="Guardian">
*{{harvnb|Guo|2007|p=112}},
{{cite news |first=Owen |last=Bowcott |title=The new British empire? UK plans to annex south Atlantic |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,2174616,00.html |publisher=The Guardian |date=2007-09-22 |accessdate=2007-09-23 | location=London}}</ref> In October 2007, a British spokeswoman confirmed that Britain intended to submit a claim<ref name="Reuters_Antartica">
*{{harvnb|Sainato|2010|p=157}}.</ref> The archipelago consists of two main islands, West Falkland and East Falkland, and 776 smaller islands.{{sfn|Sainato|2010|p=157}} The islands are predominantly mountainous and hilly,{{sfn|Central Intelligence Agency|2011|loc="Falkland Islands (Malvinas)&nbsp;– Geography"}} with the major exception being the depressed plains of ] (a peninsula forming the southern part of East Falkland).{{sfn|Trewby|2002|p=79}} The Falklands consists of ] fragments resulting from the break-up of ] and the opening of the South Atlantic that began 130&nbsp;million years ago. The islands are located in the ], on the ], about {{cvt|300|mi|km}} east of Patagonia in southern Argentina.{{sfn|Klügel|2009|p=66}}
{{cite news |first=Kate|last=Kelland|title=Britain to claim a million square km of Antarctica |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL1721422020071017 |publisher=Reuters |date=2007-10-18 |accessdate=2007-10-20}}</ref> to the UN to extend seabed territory around the Falklands and South Georgia, in advance of the expiry of the deadline<ref name="Prof_Dodds">{{cite news |first=Prof Klaus|last=Dodds|title=Icy imperialism or reinforcement of the Antarctic treaty? |url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,,2194803,00.html |publisher=The Guardian|date=2007-10-19 |accessdate=2007-10-20 | location=London}}</ref> for territorial claims following Britain's ratification of the ].<ref name="Law_of_The_Sea">{{cite web|url=http://www.globelaw.com/LawSea/lsconts.htm |title=Table of Contents to the UN Law of the Sea Convention |publisher=Globelaw.com |date=1982-12-10 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> If the claim is disputed, the UN will suspend the claim until the dispute is settled.<ref name="Reuters_Antartica"/> The claim is largely theoretical and does not affect the ] or confer new rights upon Britain. Neither does it permit the exploitation of oil or gas reserves, since these are banned by a protocol to the treaty. It would enable Britain to police fishing within the zone to prevent over-exploitation of natural resources by commercial fishing in line with Britain's obligations under the treaty.<ref name="Prof_Boyle">{{cite news |first=Prof Alan|last=Boyle|title=Icy imperialism or reinforcement of the Antarctic treaty? |url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,,2194803,00.html |publisher=The Guardian|date=2007-10-19 |accessdate=2007-10-20 | location=London}}</ref> Professor Klaus Dodds
of the University of London, commenting in The Guardian, has suggested that the move goes against the ''spirit'' of the Antarctic Treaty.<ref name="Prof_Dodds"/> Argentina has indicated it will challenge any British claim to Antarctic territory and the area around the Falkland Islands and ].<ref name="Argentine_protests">{{cite news |first=Owen |last=Boycott |title=Argentina ready to challenge Britain's Antarctic claims |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/oct/19/climatechange.fossilfuels |publisher=The Guardian |date=2007-10-19 |accessdate=2007-10-20 | location=London}}</ref> Argentina made a similar claim in 2009,<ref>{{cite news|last=Piette |first=Candace |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8011539.stm |title=Americas &#124; Argentina claims vast ocean area |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-04-22 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> and the United Kingdom quickly protested against these claims.<ref> - ], 23 April 2009</ref>


The Falklands' approximate location is latitude {{nowrap|51°40′}}&nbsp;– {{nowrap|53°00′ S}} and longitude {{nowrap|57°40′}}&nbsp;– {{nowrap|62°00′ W}}.{{sfn|Guo|2007|p=112}} The archipelago's two main islands are separated by the ],{{sfn|Hemmerle|2005|p=318}} and its deep coastal indentations form ]s.<ref>See:
In February 2010, the Argentine government announced that ships traversing Argentine territorial waters en route to the Falklands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands would require a permit, as part of a dispute over British oil exploration near the Falklands. The British and Falkland governments stated that Falklands-controlled waters were unaffected.<ref> - ], 16 February 2010</ref>
*{{harvnb|Blouet|Blouet|2009|p=100}},
*{{harvnb|Central Intelligence Agency|2011|loc="Falkland Islands (Malvinas)&nbsp;– Geography"}}</ref> East Falkland houses Stanley (the capital and largest settlement),{{sfn|Guo|2007|p=112}} the UK military base at RAF Mount Pleasant, and the archipelago's highest point: ], at {{cvt|705|m|ft|order=flip}}.{{sfn|Hemmerle|2005|p=318}} Outside of these significant settlements is the area colloquially known as "Camp", which is derived from the Spanish term for countryside (''Campo'').{{sfn|Hince|2001|loc="Camp"}}


The ] is cold, windy, and humid ].{{sfn|Klügel|2009|p=66}} Variability of daily weather is typical throughout the archipelago.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=16}} Rainfall is common over half of the year, averaging {{cvt|610|mm}} in Stanley, and sporadic light snowfall occurs nearly all year.{{sfn|Central Intelligence Agency|2011|loc="Falkland Islands (Malvinas)&nbsp;– Geography"}} The temperature has historically stayed between {{cvt|21.1|and|-11.1|C}} in Stanley, with mean monthly temperatures varying from {{cvt|9|C}} in January and February (summer) to {{cvt|-1|C}} in July (winter).{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=16}} Strong ] and cloudy skies are common.{{sfn|Central Intelligence Agency|2011|loc="Falkland Islands (Malvinas)&nbsp;– Geography"}} Although numerous storms are recorded each month, conditions are normally calm.{{sfn|Gibran|1998|p=16}}
==Geography and ecology==
{{See also|Geology of the Falkland Islands|Rivers of the Falkland Islands}}
]
], one of many inlets on ]. The islands are heavily indented by sounds and fjords]]


==Biodiversity==
The Falkland Islands comprise two main islands, ] and ] (in Spanish Isla Gran Malvina and Isla Soledad respectively), and about 776 small islands.<ref name="islands"/> The islands are located {{convert|212|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between Bird Island {{Coord|51|10|11|S|60|56|22|W|display=inline}} and Isla de los Estados {{Coord|54|43|10|S|63|48|31|W|display=inline}} measured using </ref> from the ] in Argentina (and {{convert|287|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between Jason Island {{Coord|51|00|03|S|61|18|45|W|display=inline}} and Punta Buque {{Coord|48|06|35|S|65|54|51|W|display=inline}} measured using </ref> from the Argentine mainland); {{convert|304|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between Beaver Island {{Coord|51|50|07|S|61|20|52|W|display=inline}} and Punta Dungeness {{Coord|52|23|51|S|68|26|02|W|display=inline}} measured using </ref> from ]; {{convert|669|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between a rock off Cape Pembroke {{Coord|51|40|33|S|57|41|17|W|display=inline}} and Shag Rocks {{Coord|53|33|00|S|42|02|00|W|display=inline}} measured using </ref> west of the ] (]) and {{convert|576|mi|nmi km}}<ref>Distance between Beauchêne Island {{Coord|52|54|50|S|59|11|30|W|display=inline}} and ] {{Coord|60|59|10.5|S|55|23|00.7|W|display=inline}} measured using </ref> north of the ] (which overlaps with the ] and ] claims to Antarctica in that region).
{{Main|Wildlife of the Falkland Islands}}
]s on ]]]


The Falkland Islands are ] part of the ],{{sfn|Jónsdóttir|2007|pp=84–86}} with strong connections to the flora and fauna of ] in mainland South America.<ref name="epk">{{cite web |url=http://www.epd.gov.fk/wp-content/uploads/Falkland%20Islands%20State%20of%20the%20Environment%20Report%202008_final_sm.pdf |title=Falkland Islands State of the Environment Report 2008 |author1=Helen Otley |author2=Grant Munro |author3=Andrea Clausen |author4=Becky Ingham |publisher=Environmental Planning Department Falkland Islands Government |date=May 2008 |access-date=25 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720195504/http://www.epd.gov.fk/wp-content/uploads/Falkland%20Islands%20State%20of%20the%20Environment%20Report%202008_final_sm.pdf |archive-date=20 July 2011}}</ref> Land birds make up most of the Falklands' ]. The only ] bird species on the Falkland Islands are the flightless ] and ].<ref name= "Cobb">{{cite web|first=Gary|last=Kramer|url=https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/exploring-the-falkland-islands/|title=Exploring The Falkland Islands|website=All About Birds|date=15 July 2020|access-date=22 May 2023|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Report">{{cite web |url=http://www.epd.gov.fk/wp-content/uploads/Falkland%20Islands%20State%20of%20the%20Environment%20Report%202008_final_sm.pdf |title=Falkland Islands State of the Environment Report 2008 |publisher=gov.fk |date=May 2008 |access-date=25 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720195504/http://www.epd.gov.fk/wp-content/uploads/Falkland%20Islands%20State%20of%20the%20Environment%20Report%202008_final_sm.pdf |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name= "Steamer">{{cite web|url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/country/falkland-islands-malvinas|title=Falkland Islands (Malvinas)|website=BirdLife International|date=2023|access-date=22 May 2023|language=en}}</ref> 63 species breed on the islands, including 14 endemic ].{{sfn|Clark|Dingwall|1985|p=131}}
<!-- The metric measurements come from the source footnoted. The Imperial measurements are derived from them. -->The total land area is 4,700 square miles (12,173&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), slightly smaller than ] or ], with a ] estimated at 800 miles (1288&nbsp;km).<ref name="autogenerated1"></ref>


There is also abundant ] diversity on the islands.{{sfn|Clark|Dingwall|1985|p=132}} The Falklands' flora consists of 163 native ].{{sfn|Clark|Dingwall|1985|p=129}} More than 400 species of ]s and ] have been recorded.<ref name="Fryday et al. 2019">{{cite journal |last1=Fryday |first1=lan M. |last2=Orange |first2=Alan |last3=Ahti |first3=Teuvo |last4=Øvstedal |first4=Dag O. |last5=Crabtree |first5=Dafydd E. |year=2019 |title=An annotated checklist of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi reported from the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |journal=Glalia |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=1–100 |url=https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/310227/2019_Glalia_8_1_Fryday_et_al_Checklist_lichens_Falkland_Islands.pdf?sequence=1}}</ref> The islands' only native terrestrial mammal, the ], was hunted to extinction by European settlers.{{sfn|Hince|2001|p=370}}
The two main islands on either side of ] make up most of the land. These are ], which contains the capital, ], and most of the population; and ]. Both islands have ]s, the highest point being ], 2312 feet (705&nbsp;m)<ref name="autogenerated1"/> on East Falkland. There are also some ]gy ]s, most notably in ], on the southern half of East Falkland. Virtually the entire area of the islands is used as ] for ].


The islands are frequented by ]s, such as the ] and the ], and various types of ]ns; offshore islands house the rare ]. There are also five different penguin species and a few of the largest ] colonies on the planet.<ref name="Science and Diplomacy.">{{cite journal |url=http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/letter-field/2015/pan-american-scientific-delegation-visit-falkland-islands |journal=Science and Diplomacy |date=30 June 2015 |title=Pan-American Scientific Delegation Visit to the Falkland Islands |first=Lindsay R. |last=Chura |quote=The ocean’s fecundity also draws globally important seabird populations to the archipelago; the Falkland Islands host some of the world’s largest albatross colonies and five penguin species. |access-date=6 July 2015 |archive-date=7 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707031719/http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/letter-field/2015/pan-american-scientific-delegation-visit-falkland-islands |url-status=live }}</ref> Endemic fish around the islands are primarily from the genus '']''.{{sfn|Clark|Dingwall|1985|p=132}} The Falklands are treeless and have a wind-resistant vegetation predominantly composed of a variety of ].{{sfn|Jónsdóttir|2007|p=85}}
Smaller islands surround the main two. They include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The ] lie to the north west of the main archipelago, and ] some distance to its south. Speedwell Island and George Island are split from East Falkland by ].


Virtually the entire land area of the islands is used as pasture for sheep.<ref name=CIA>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/falkland-islands-islas-malvinas/ |title=Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |access-date=10 July 2013 |archive-date=9 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109093604/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/falkland-islands-islas-malvinas |url-status=live }}</ref> Introduced species include ], hares, rabbits, ], ]s, and cats.{{sfn|Bell|2007|p=544}} Several of these species have harmed native flora and fauna, so the government has tried to contain, remove or exterminate foxes, rabbits and rats. Endemic land animals have been the most affected by introduced species, and several bird species have been extirpated from the larger islands.{{sfn|Bell|2007|pp=542–545}} The extent of ] on the Falklands is unclear, since there is little long-term data on habitat change.<ref name="epk" />
Numerous flora and fauna are found on the Falkland Islands. Notable fauna include colonies of the ].<ref>C. Michael Hogan. 2008. </ref>

The islands claim a territorial sea of {{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1|lk=in}} and an ] of {{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1}}, which has been a source of disagreement with Argentina.
], the Falkland Islands are classified as part of the ] realm, together with South America. It is also classified as part of the ].

{{Clear}}

==Climate==
Surrounded by cool ] waters, the Falkland Islands have a ] (Koppen ''Cfc'') which is very much influenced by the ocean by having a narrow annual temperature range. January average maximum temperature is about {{convert|55|°F|1}}, while July maximum average temperature is about {{convert|39|°F|1}}. The average annual rainfall is {{convert|22.58|in|mm|abbr=on}} but East Falkland is generally wetter than West Falkland.<ref>http://www.visitorfalklands.com/assets/documents/falklands-factsheet.pdf</ref> ] and winds, however, are constantly high. Snow is rare, but can occur at almost any time of year. Gales are very frequent, particularly in winter.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/country_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT004760 |title=Weather Centre - World Weather - Country Guides - Falkland Islands |publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> The climate is similar to the ] in the ], but with less rainfall and longer and slightly more severe winters.<ref name="autogenerated2"/>

{{Infobox weather
|single_line= yes
|metric_first=
|location = Stanley, Falkland Islands
|Jan_Hi_°C = 13 |Jan_REC_Hi_°C = 24 <!--REC temps are optional; use sparely-->
|Feb_Hi_°C = 13 |Feb_REC_Hi_°C = 23
|Mar_Hi_°C = 12 |Mar_REC_Hi_°C = 21
|Apr_Hi_°C = 9 |Apr_REC_Hi_°C = 17
|May_Hi_°C = 7 |May_REC_Hi_°C = 14
|Jun_Hi_°C = 5 |Jun_REC_Hi_°C = 11
|Jul_Hi_°C = 4 |Jul_REC_Hi_°C = 10
|Aug_Hi_°C = 5 |Aug_REC_Hi_°C = 11
|Sep_Hi_°C = 7 |Sep_REC_Hi_°C = 15
|Oct_Hi_°C = 9 |Oct_REC_Hi_°C = 18
|Nov_Hi_°C = 11 |Nov_REC_Hi_°C = 22
|Dec_Hi_°C = 12 |Dec_REC_Hi_°C = 22
|Jan_Lo_°C = 6 |Jan_REC_Lo_°C = -1
|Feb_Lo_°C = 5 |Feb_REC_Lo_°C = -1
|Mar_Lo_°C = 4 |Mar_REC_Lo_°C = -3
|Apr_Lo_°C = 3 |Apr_REC_Lo_°C = -6
|May_Lo_°C = 1 |May_REC_Lo_°C = -7
|Jun_Lo_°C = -1 |Jun_REC_Lo_°C = -11
|Jul_Lo_°C = -1 |Jul_REC_Lo_°C = -9
|Aug_Lo_°C = -1 |Aug_REC_Lo_°C = -11
|Sep_Lo_°C = 1 |Sep_REC_Lo_°C = -11
|Oct_Lo_°C = 2 |Oct_REC_Lo_°C = -6
|Nov_Lo_°C = 3 |Nov_REC_Lo_°C = -3
|Dec_Lo_°C = 4 |Dec_REC_Lo_°C = -2
<!--Optional:This is total Precipitation. Rain & Snow fields can be used instead if Precip is not filled in-->
|Jan_Precip_mm = 71
|Feb_Precip_mm = 58
|Mar_Precip_mm = 64
|Apr_Precip_mm = 66
|May_Precip_mm = 66
|Jun_Precip_mm = 53
|Jul_Precip_mm = 51
|Aug_Precip_mm = 51
|Sep_Precip_mm = 38
|Oct_Precip_mm = 41
|Nov_Precip_mm = 51
|Dec_Precip_mm = 71
<!-- Optional: Average daily % Humidity -->
|Jan_Hum= 78
|Feb_Hum= 79
|Mar_Hum= 82
|Apr_Hum= 86
|May_Hum= 88
|Jun_Hum= 89
|Jul_Hum= 89
|Aug_Hum= 87
|Sep_Hum= 84
|Oct_Hum= 80
|Nov_Hum= 75
|Dec_Hum= 77
|Year_Hum=
|source = BBC Weather<ref name="BBC Weather">{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT004760 | title = BBC Weather: Stanley, Falkland Islands | accessdate = 13 January 2010 | publisher = BBC }}</ref>
|accessdate =
}}


==Economy== ==Economy==
{{Main|Economy of the Falkland Islands}} {{Main|Economy of the Falkland Islands}}
{{See also|Falkland Islands oil}}
The largest company in the islands used to be the ] (FIC), a publicly quoted company on the ]. The company was responsible for the majority of the economic activity on the islands, though its farms were sold in 1991 to the Falkland Islands Government. The company now operates several retail outlets in Stanley and is involved in port services and shipping operations.
], now officially a city, is the financial centre of the Falkland Islands' economy.{{sfn|Royle|2001|p=171}}]]


{{As of|2023}}, the economy of the Falkland Islands is ranked the {{ordinal|221}} largest out of 229 in the world by GDP (]),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/real-gdp-purchasing-power-parity/country-comparison/|title=Real GDP (purchasing power parity)|website=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref> but ranks {{ordinal|10}} worldwide by ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/real-gdp-per-capita/country-comparison/|title=Real GDP per capita|website=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref> The unemployment rate was 1% in 2016, and inflation was calculated at 1.4% in 2014.<ref name="CIA" /> Based on 2010 data, the islands have a high ] of 0.874{{sfn|Avakov|2013|p=47}} and a moderate ] for ] of 34.17.{{sfn|Avakov|2013|p=54}} The local currency is the ], which is ] to the British ].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/4087743.stm |title=Regions and territories: Falkland Islands |newspaper=BBC News |date=12 June 2012 |access-date=26 June 2014 |archive-date=9 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909094557/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/4087743.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
Except for defence, the islands are self sufficient; exports account for more than $125&nbsp;million a year (2004 estimate).<ref name=cia>{{cite web
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
| work = The World Factbook
| publisher = ]
| date = 27 April 2010
| url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
| doi =
| accessdate = 2010-05-08}}</ref>


Economic development was advanced by ] and sheep farming for high-quality wool.<ref>See:
===Currency===
*{{harvnb|Calvert|2004|p=134}},
]
*{{harvnb|Royle|2001|p=170}}.</ref> The main sheep breeds in the Falkland Islands are ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/self-sufficiency/commercial-sectors/agriculture/ |title=Agriculture |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |access-date=13 February 2016 |archive-date=15 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215211254/http://www.falklands.gov.fk/self-sufficiency/commercial-sectors/agriculture/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> During the 1980s, although ranch under-investment and the use of ]s damaged the sheep-farming sector, the government secured a major revenue stream by the establishment of an ] and the sale of fishing licences to "anybody wishing to fish within this zone".{{sfn|Royle|2001|p=170}} Since the end of the Falklands War in 1982, the islands' economic activity increasingly focused on oil field ] and tourism.{{sfn|Hemmerle|2005|p=319}} All large settlements are now connected by road and, since 2008, a ferry links West and East Falkland.<ref name="britannica.com" /> The islands' major exports include wool, hides, venison, fish and squid; its main imports include fuel, ]s and clothing.<ref name="CIA" />
The Falkland Islands Government issues a local currency, the ]. It has notes and coins that are equivalent to the United Kingdom ] coinage but with local designs on the reverse. The ] is fixed at parity with the ] and both circulate interchangeably on the islands. For more information about currency in the region see ].


The port settlement of Stanley has regained the islands' economic focus, with an increase in population as workers migrate from Camp.{{sfn|Royle|2001|pp=170–171}} Fear of dependence on fishing licences and threats from ], ] and fish ] led to increased interest in oil drilling as an alternative source of revenue. As of 2001 exploration efforts had yet to find "exploitable reserves".{{sfn|Royle|2001|p=171}} By 2023, oil exploration was still proceeding off the shelf of the islands with a deepwater project led by ]. In 2023, Rockhopper (working with Tel Aviv-listed Navitas Petroleum) indicated that it had been presented with a new development plan for its Sea Lion project that aimed to cut costs and proceed in phases. It was stated that: "If realized, the new plan – with a total price tag of $2.2 billion – could lead to 80,000 barrels per day of production (up to 100,000 b/d at peak) via a leased floating production, storage and offloading unit". A final investment decision had been targeted for early 2024, though it was somewhat delayed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.energyintel.com/00000187-245b-dd7d-a597-377b8e9d0000 | title=Rockhopper, Navitas Look to Reboot Falklands Project |website=Energy Intelligence |last=Schmidt |first=Katherine |date=27 March 2023 |accessdate=9 July 2023 }}</ref> A public consultation on the project took place in the summer of 2024 and was reported to have garnered widespread support from Falkland Islanders. Since Britain's newly elected ] banned similar oil projects in the United Kingdom, this created the prospect for a potential conflict between the Falkland Island's government and the British government. Nevertheless, the authority to approve oil development around the islands was said to rest solely with the Falkland Island's government.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.offshore-technology.com/news/uk-cant-stop-falklands-islands-extracting-oil-from-sea-lion-field/?cf-view | title=UK can't stop Falkland Islands extracting million of barrels of oil |website=Offshore Technology |last=Pearcy |first=Ed |date=30 September 2024 |accessdate=30 September 2024 }}</ref> In November 2024, the Falkland's government Executive Council indicated that, while the public consultation process had been successfully concluded, "some matters" related to the Environmental Impact Statement required "further discussion" and that any development and production program would need to be considered separately by the Executive Council.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.mercopress.com/2024/11/14/falklands-sea-lion-oil-development-area-eis-public-consultation-considered | title=Falklands, Sea Lion oil development area EIS public consultation considered |website=Merco Press |date=14 November 2024 |accessdate=18 November 2024 }}</ref> Navitas Petroleum subsequently indicated that a final investment decision was delayed to mid-2025 with first oil not anticipated until late 2027, at the earliest. Although certified gross 2C recoverable oil resources had increased from 791 million bbls to 917 million bbls, phase 1 costs had increased to $1.4 billion.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.offshore-energy.biz/sea-lions-first-roar-pushed-back-as-costs-rise-to-1-4-billion-for-falkland-islands-oil-project/ | title=Sea lion’s first roar pushed back as costs rise to $1.4 billion for Falkland Islands’ oil project |website=Offshore Energy |date=26 November 2024 |accessdate=1 December 2024 |last=Cavcic |first=Melisa }}</ref>
The Falkland Islands also ], which are a source of revenue from overseas collectors.


Development projects in education and sports have been funded by the Falklands government, without aid from the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Royle|2001|p=170}}
===Farming===
Farmland accounts for {{convert|1123985|ha|sqmi|disp=output only|abbr=on}} (1,123,985 hectares), more than 90% of the Falklands land area.<ref name=Farms>{{cite web
|url=http://www.agriculture.gov.fk/publications/farming_statistics/2008-2009.pdf/ |title=Biennial Report 2008/9
|publisher=Falklands Island Government Department of Argiculture
|date=31 May 2009
|accessdate=2010-04-18}}</ref> Since 1984, efforts to diversify the economy have made ] the largest part of the economy and brought increasing income from ].<ref>, Frank Kane, ], 4 April 2004</ref> ] farming was formerly the main source of income for the islands and still plays an important part with high quality wool exports going to the UK: according to the Falklands Government Statistics there are over 500,000 sheep on the islands with roughly 60% on East Falkland and 40% on West Falkland.<ref name=Farms/>


The ] accounts for most of the Falkland Islands' gross domestic product, with the fishing industry alone contributing between 50% and 60% of annual GDP; agriculture also contributes significantly to GDP and employs about a tenth of the population.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/self-sufficiency/the-economy/ |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |title=The Economy |access-date=26 June 2014 |archive-date=7 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407065020/http://www.falklands.gov.fk/self-sufficiency/the-economy/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> A little over a quarter of the workforce serves the Falkland Islands government, making it the archipelago's largest employer.<ref name="FI Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/03/falkland-islands-data-charts |title=The Falkland Islands: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know in Data and Charts |newspaper=The Guardian |date=3 January 2013 |access-date=12 June 2014 |archive-date=3 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703050447/https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/03/falkland-islands-data-charts |url-status=live }}</ref> Tourism, part of the service economy, has been spurred by increased interest in ] and the creation of direct air links with the United Kingdom and South America.<ref>See:
===Fishing===
*{{harvnb|Bertram|Muir|Stonehouse|2007|p=144}},
The government has operated a fishing zone policy since 1986 with the sale of fishing licences to foreign countries has bringing in more than ]40 million a year in revenues. Local fishing boats are also in operation. More than 75% of the annual catch of {{convert|200000|LT|lk=on|t ST}} of ],<ref>{{cite web
*{{harvnb|Prideaux|2008|p=171}}.</ref> Tourists, mostly ] passengers, are attracted by the archipelago's wildlife and environment, as well as activities such as fishing and ]; the majority find accommodation in Stanley.<ref>See:
|url =http://www.falklands.gov.fk//Fisheries.html
*{{harvnb|Prideaux|2008|p=171}},
|title=Fisheries
*{{harvnb|Royle|2006|p=183}}.</ref> The main international airport, located at ] on East Falkland, provides flights to ] in the UK and mainland South America.<ref name="britannica.com">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Falkland-Islands |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Falkland Islands |accessdate=18 September 2019}}</ref> ] provides internal flights.<ref>{{cite web |title=Internal Flights (FIGAS) |url=http://www.falklandislands.com/contents/view/116/get-here/get-around/internal-flights-figas |access-date=2010-07-23 |work=Getting Around the Falkland Islands |publisher=Falkland Islands Tourist Board}}</ref> Despite ] restrictions causing suspensions of flights from ] and ] and prohibited cruise ship tourism, the economy of the islands remains stable and healthy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/las-islas-malvinas-hoy-mas-diversas-y-cosmopolitas-miran-a-londres-y-apuntan-a-la-autodeterminacion-nid28032022/ |title=Las Islas Malvinas, hoy: más diversas y cosmopolitas, miran a Londres y apuntan a la autodeterminación como país |trans-title=Falkland Islands, today: more diverse and cosmopolite, they look to London and aim to self-determination |language=Spanish |first=Hugo |last=Alconada Mon |date=28 March 2022 |publisher=La Nación |accessdate=28 March 2022 |archive-date=28 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328135504/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/politica/las-islas-malvinas-hoy-mas-diversas-y-cosmopolitas-miran-a-londres-y-apuntan-a-la-autodeterminacion-nid28032022/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|publisher = The Falkland Islands Government
|accessdate = 2010-04-06}}</ref> and most exports are to Spain.


===Tourism=== ==Transport==
{{Main|Transport in the Falkland Islands}}
Tourism has grown rapidly. The islands have become a regular port of call for the growing market of ]s with more than 36,000 visitors in 2004.<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.falklands.info/background/lifearticle31.html
|title = Four Seasons and more than 3,000 Tourists in One Day
|author = Sharon Jaffray
|newspaper = ]
|date = 22 April 2005}}</ref> Attractions include the scenery and wildlife conservation with ]s, seabirds, ] and ]s, as well as visits to battlefields, ], fishing and ].


===Oil===
An agreement with Argentina had set the terms for exploitation of offshore resources including large ]<ref>{{cite news
|first=Calvin |last=Sims
|title=Britain and Argentina Reach an Accord on Falkland Oil Rights
|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/20/world/britain-and-argentina-reach-an-accord-on-falkland-oil-rights.html?pagewanted=1
|publisher=The New York Times
|date=20 September 1995
|accessdate=10 May 2010
|location=New York}}</ref> as it was thought that there might be up to 60 billion barrels (9.5 billion cubic metres) of oil under the sea bed surrounding the islands.<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/07/falkland-islands-oil-britain-argentina |title = Falklands oil prospects stir Anglo-Argentinian tensions
|newspaper = The Guardian
|date = 7 Feb 2010}}</ref> However, in 2007 Argentina unilaterally withdrew from the agreement.<ref name=""Kirchner_oil">{{cite news |first=Sophie |last=Arie |title=Argentina snubs UK over oil deal as anniversary nears |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/29/warg29.xml |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |date=2007-04-03 |accessdate=2007-10-20 | location=London}}</ref> In response, Falklands Oil and Gas Limited has signed an agreement with ] to investigate the potential exploitation of oil reserves.<ref name="Times_Oil_Deal">
{{cite news |first=Carl |last=Mortished |title=BHP Billiton strikes $100m Falklands drilling deal |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article2577806.ece |publisher=The Times |date=2007-10-03 |accessdate=2007-10-20 | location=London}}</ref> Climatic conditions of the southern seas mean that exploitation will be a difficult task, though economically viable, and the continuing sovereignty dispute with Argentina is hampering progress.<ref name="Argentine_response">{{cite news |first=Jude |last=Webber |title=Argentina protests at Falklands oil stake |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aa2294fe-71d7-11dc-8960-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1 |publisher=The Financial Times |date=2007-10-03 |accessdate=2007-10-20}}</ref> In February 2010, exploratory drilling for oil was begun by Desire Petroleum,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8527307.stm |title=Drilling for oil begins off the Falkland Islands |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-02-22 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> but the results from the first test well were disappointing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/explorers-fail-to-strike-oil-in-test-sites-off-falklands-1930807.html |title=Explorers fail to strike oil in test sites off Falklands |publisher=Independent.co.uk |date=2010-03-30 |accessdate=2010-06-09}}</ref> Two months later, on 6 May 2010, Rockhopper Exploration announced that "''it may have struck oil''".<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10100769.stm
|title = Falklands oil firm Rockhopper claims discovery
|publisher = BBC News
|date = 6 May 2010
|accessdate = 2010-05-06}}</ref> As of 8 May 2010, the commercial viability of the {{convert|174|ft|adj=on}} <!-- reference in metres --> oil bearing strata had yet to be established.<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7119075.ece
|title = Discovery in disputed waters puts Argentina back on the defensive
|newspaper = The Times
|date = 8 May 2010
|author = Decian McGarvey
|author2 = Robin Pagnamenta}}</ref>

===Defence===
The UK provides defence and British military expenditures make a significant contribution to the economy.
==Demographics== ==Demographics==
{{See also|Falkland Islanders|Origins of Falkland Islanders}} {{see also|Origins of Falkland Islanders|Religion in the Falkland Islands}}
] with the Whale bone arch, ]]] ], the local parish church of the ]. Most Falklanders identify as Christian.]]
The Falkland Islands population is homogeneous, mostly descended from Scottish and Welsh immigrants who settled in the territory after 1833.{{sfn|Laver|2001|p=9}} The Falkland-born population are also descended from English and ], ], Scandinavians, and South Americans. The 2016 census indicated that 43% of residents were born on the archipelago, with foreign-born residents assimilated into local culture. The legal term for the right of residence is "belonging to the islands".<ref name="2006Census">{{cite web |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk//documents/Census%20Report%202006.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216182057/http://www.falklands.gov.fk//documents/Census%20Report%202006.pdf |archive-date=16 December 2010 |title=Falkland Islands Census Statistics, 2006 |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |access-date=4 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="Census 2016">{{cite web |last1=Falkland Islands Government |title=Falkland Islands Census 2016 |url=http://www.fig.gov.fk/archives/jdownloads/People/Census%20Information%20Early%20Settlers/Falkland%20Islands%20Census%202016%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf |website=Falkland Islands Government |access-date=6 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328192533/http://www.fig.gov.fk/archives/jdownloads/People/Census%20Information%20Early%20Settlers/Falkland%20Islands%20Census%202016%20-%20Full%20Report.pdf |archive-date=28 March 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1983, full ] was given to Falkland Islanders under the ].{{sfn|Laver|2001|p=9}}
Ever since Britain seized control of the islands in 1833, the islands' population has waxed and waned constantly. Census figures show that the population rose from an estimate of 287 in 1851 to 2272 in 1911. It was 2094 in 1921 and 2392 in 1931 but then the population declined and in 1980 it was 1813. The population then rose and was 2955 in 2006. The 2006 census recorded 2115 people in Stanley and 477 in Mount Pleasant. However, there were only 194 people in the rest of East Falkland, 127 people in West Falkland and 42 people in all the other islands. These figures exclude all military personnel and their families, but includes 477 people who were present in the Falkland Islands in connection with the military garrison. <ref>{{cite web |url=documents/Census%20Report%202006.pdf |title=Falkland Islands Census Statistics, 2006 |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |accessdate=4 June 2010}}</ref> The American CIA stated that In July 2008, the population was estimated to be 3,140. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fk.html |title=South America Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (Overseas Territory of the UK; Also Claimed by Argentina)
|date=27 May 2010 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=US Central Intelligence Agency |accessdate=5 June 2010}}</ref>


A significant population decline affected the archipelago in the 20th century, with many young islanders moving overseas in search of education, a modern lifestyle, and better job opportunities,<ref>See:
Although islanders now call themselves a "]", both islander and British authorities are reluctant to release figures on emmigration to metropolitan Britain and immigration from Britain proper. Nor do they release figures on what percentage of islanders constitue ''belongers''.
*{{harvnb|Gibran|1998|p=18}},
*{{harvnb|Laver|2001|p=173}}.</ref> particularly to the British city of ], which came to be known in the islands as "Stanley North".<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305030343/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/mar/19/falklands-optimistic-invasion-anniversary |date=5 March 2017 }}, '']'', Andy Beckett, 19 March 2012</ref> In recent years, the islands' population decline has reduced, thanks to immigrants from the United Kingdom, ], and Chile.{{sfn|Minahan|2013|p=139}} In the 2012 census, a majority of residents listed their nationality as ] (59 per cent), followed by British (29 per cent), Saint Helenian (9.8 per cent), and ] (5.4 per cent).<ref name=census2012>{{cite web |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assets/Headline-Results-from-Census-2012.pdf |title=Falkland Islands Census 2012: Headline results |date=10 September 2012 |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |access-date=19 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520184434/http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assets/Headline-Results-from-Census-2012.pdf |archive-date=20 May 2013}}</ref> A small number of ] also live on the islands.<ref name="mercopress">{{cite news |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2013/06/28/falklands-referendum-voters-from-many-countries-around-the-world-voted-yes |title=Falklands Referendum: Voters from many countries around the world voted Yes |newspaper=MercoPress |date=28 June 2013 |access-date=22 July 2013 |archive-date=17 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017102912/http://en.mercopress.com/2013/06/28/falklands-referendum-voters-from-many-countries-around-the-world-voted-yes |url-status=live }}</ref>


The Falkland Islands ].{{sfn|Royle|2006|p=181}} According to the 2012 census, the average daily population of the Falklands was 2,932, excluding military personnel serving in the archipelago and their dependents.{{efn-ua|At the time of the 2012 census, 91 Falklands residents were overseas.<ref name=census2012/>}} A 2012 report counted 1,300 uniformed personnel and 50 ] civil servants present in the Falklands.<ref name="FI Guardian"/> Stanley (with 2,121 residents) is the most-populous location on the archipelago, followed by ] (369 residents, primarily air-base contractors) and Camp (351 residents).<ref name="census2012" /> The islands' age distribution is skewed towards working age {{nowrap|(20–60)}}. Males outnumber females (53 to 47 per cent), and this discrepancy is most prominent in the {{nowrap|20–60}} age group.<ref name="2006Census" />
About 70 per cent are of British descent, primarily as a result of ] and ] immigration to the islands.<ref>{{cite book|first=Patrick|last=Vincent|title=The Geographical Journal, Vol. 149, No. 1, pp 16–17|month=March | year=1983}}</ref> The native-born inhabitants call themselves "Islanders"; the term "]", from the ] which grows profusely around the islands, is no longer used in the Islands. People from the United Kingdom who have obtained Falkland Island status are known locally as 'belongers'.


In the 2012 census, most islanders identified themselves as Christian (66 per cent), followed by those with no religious affiliation (32 per cent). The remaining 2 per cent identified as adherents of other religions, including the ],<ref name=Adherents2001>{{cite web |url=http://adherents.com/largecom/com_bahai.html |title=The Largest Baha'i (sic) Communities (mid-2000) |website=Adherents.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011020123109/http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_bahai.html |date=September 2001 |archive-date=20 October 2001 |access-date=11 October 2020}}</ref> ],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk//documents/Census%20Report%202006.pdf |title=Falkland Islands Census Statistics 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216182057/http://www.falklands.gov.fk//documents/Census%20Report%202006.pdf |archive-date=16 December 2010}}</ref> and ].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2009/oct/08/muslim-population-islam-religion |title=The world in muslim populations, every country listed |date=8 October 2009 |work=The Guardian |access-date=2 March 2019 |archive-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207193255/https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2009/oct/08/muslim-population-islam-religion |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="census2012" /> The main Christian denominations are ] and other ], and ].<ref>Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition by J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ABC-CLIO, p. 1093.</ref>
A few Islanders are of ], ] (such as the Pitaluga family), ] and Scandinavian descent. Some are the descendants of ] who reached the Islands during the last two centuries. There is also a small minority of South American, mainly ]an origin, and in more recent times many people from ] have also come to work and live in the Islands.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6683677.stm |title=UK &#124; Falklands questions answered |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-06-04 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>


], which follows ], is free and compulsory for residents aged between 5 and 16 years.<ref name="EDU">{{cite web |url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/our-people/daily-life/education/ |publisher=Falkland Islands Government |title=Education |access-date=29 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026174550/https://www.falklands.gov.fk/our-people/daily-life/education/ |archive-date=26 October 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Primary education is available at Stanley, RAF Mount Pleasant (for children of service personnel) and a number of rural settlements. Secondary education is only available in Stanley, which offers boarding facilities and 12 subjects to ] (GCSE) level. Students aged 16 or older may study at colleges in England for their ] or vocational qualifications. The Falkland Islands government pays for older students to attend institutions of higher education, usually in the United Kingdom.<ref name="EDU" />
The main religion is ]. The main denominations are ], ], ], and ]. Smaller numbers are ], ] and ]; with the latter being due to Greek fishermen passing through. There is also a ] congregation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.horizon.co.fk/bahai_falklands/ |title=Falkland Islands Bahá'í Community Newsletter |publisher=Horizon.co.fk |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> The Islands are the home of the ].


==Culture==
Since the ] the islanders have been full ]. For the Argentine position on Falklanders’ citizenship, see ].
{{Main|Culture of the Falkland Islands}}
]s from mainland South America, such as these two men having ] at Hope Place in East Falkland, influenced the local dialect.]]


Falklands culture is based on the ] of its British settlers but has also been influenced by ].{{sfn|Minahan|2013|p=139}} Falklanders still use some terms and place names from the former Gaucho inhabitants.{{sfn|Wagstaff|2001|p=21}} The Falklands' predominant and official language is English, with the foremost dialect being ]; nonetheless, some inhabitants also speak Spanish.{{sfn|Minahan|2013|p=139}} According to naturalist ], "the Falkland Islands are a very social place, and stopping for a chat is a way of life".{{sfn|Wagstaff|2001|p=21}}
==Medical care==
The Falkland Islands Government Health and Social Services Department provides medical and dental care for the islands. The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) is Stanley's only hospital. It was partially military operated in the past but is now under complete civilian control.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.falklands.gov.fk/Health_Services.html
|title = Health Services
|publisher = Falkland Islands Government
|accessdate = 2010-05-24}}</ref> Specialist medical care is provided by visiting ophthalmologists, gynaecologists, ENT surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, psychiatrist, and oral surgeons from the United Kingdom provide specialist care. Patients needing emergency treatement are air-lifted to the United Kingdom or to ] (]).<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/south-america/falkland-islands
|title = Travel & living abroad - South America and South Atlantic Islands - Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
|publisher = Foreign & Commonwealth Office
|date = 18 March 2010
|accessdate = 2010-05-24}}</ref>


The islands have one weekly newspaper, '']'',{{sfn|Wagstaff|2001|p=66}} and television and radio broadcasts generally feature programming from the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Minahan|2013|p=139}} Wagstaff describes the local cuisine as "very British in character with much use made of the home-grown vegetables, local lamb, mutton, beef, and fish". Common between meals are "homemade cakes and biscuits with tea or coffee".{{sfn|Wagstaff|2001|pp=63–64}} Social activities are, according to Wagstaff, "typical of that of a small British town with a variety of clubs and organisations covering many aspects of community life".{{sfn|Wagstaff|2001|p=65}}
==Broadcasting and telecommunications==
]
===Broadcasting===
] services are operated by the ], formerly the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service, and the ] (BFBS). FM stereo broadcasting using the UK allocation is standard. ] broadcasting using 10&nbsp;kHz steps (standard in ] Region II).


===Sport===
The only terrestrial channel available is ]. ] television, using the UK UHF allocation standard. There is also a ] service in ] operated by ]

===Telephone===
The Falkland Islands has a modern telecommunications network providing fixed line telephone, ] and ] internet services in Stanley. Telephones to outlying settlements use ]. A ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gsmworld.com/ROAMING/GSMINFO/net_fkcw.shtml |title=GSM coverage in the Falkland Islands |publisher=Gsmworld.com |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> mobile network was installed in 2005<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwfi.co.fk/ |title=Cable and Wireless Falkland Islands |publisher=Cwfi.co.fk |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> providing coverage to Stanley, Mount Pleasant and surrounding areas. It is operated under the '''Touch Mobile''' brand.

] is the sole telecommunications provider in the Falkland Islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.falklands.info/factfile/comms.html |title=Telecommunications |publisher=falklands.info |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>

==Sport==
{{Main|Sport in the Falkland Islands}} {{Main|Sport in the Falkland Islands}}
Despite its small size, the Falkland Islands compete in the ] and ].<ref name="insidethegames.biz 2021 g927">{{cite web | title=Falkland Islands | website=Inside the Games | date=2021-10-07 | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1106645/falkland-islands | access-date=2024-04-05}}</ref> The ] is a member of the ].<ref name="ICC 2024">{{cite web | title=Falkland Islands | website=International Cricket Council | date=2024-01-18 | url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/members/associate/falkland-islands | access-date=2024-04-05}}</ref>
There are more than 30 different sports clubs on the Falklands, including badminton, clay-pigeon shooting, cricket, football, golf, hockey, netball, rugby union, sailing, swimming, table tennis and volleyball.<ref name=clubs>. Retrieved 9 July 2008.</ref> The Falklands compete in the biennial ].<ref name=IG>. Retrieved 9 July 2008.</ref>


==Transport== ==See also==
*]
{{Main|Transport in the Falkland Islands}}
*]
] of the ] at ]]] The Falkland Islands have two airports with paved runways. The main international airport is ], 26.89 miles (43.28&nbsp;km) west of Stanley.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mapcrow.info/Distance_between_London_UK_and_Port_Stanley_FK.html |title=43.28 km in Map Crow Travel Distance Calculator |publisher=Mapcrow.info |date=2007-10-23 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> There are weekly flights, operated by ], to ], via ]. Once a month, this flight also stops in ], Argentina.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xtold.visitorfalklands.com/content/view/186/175/ |title=Official Tourism Website of the Falkland Islands |publisher=Xtold.visitorfalklands.com |date=2009-08-18 |accessdate=2010-06-09}}</ref>
*]
*]


==Notes==
The ] operates flights from ] to ] in ], England, with a refuelling stop at ]. RAF flights are on ] although charter aircraft are often used if the TriStars are required for operational flights. At present ] operates the RAF air link, using ]s. ] also operate two ] helicopters, based at RAF Mount Pleasant, under contract to the United Kingdom Ministry Of Defence, primarily for moving military personnel, equipment and supplies around the islands.
{{notelist-ua|35em}}


==References==
The ] operates a transcontinental air link between the Falkland Islands and the ] on the ] and servicing also other British bases in the ] using a ].
{{reflist}}


==Bibliography==
The smaller ], outside the city, is used for internal flights. The ] (FIGAS) operates ] aircraft that can use the grass airstrips that most settlements have. Flight schedules are decided a day in advance according to passenger needs. The night before, the arrival and departure times are announced on the radio.
{{refbegin|30em}}

*{{cite book |last1=Aldrich |first1=Robert |last2=Connell |first2=John |title=The Last Colonies |year=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-521-41461-6}}
The road network has been improved in recent years. However, not many paved roads exist outside Stanley and RAF Mount Pleasant. Speed limits are 25&nbsp;mph (40&nbsp;km/h) in built-up areas and 40&nbsp;mph (64&nbsp;km/h) elsewhere.<ref>{{cite web
*{{cite book |last=Avakov |first=Alexander |title=Quality of Life, Balance of Powers, and Nuclear Weapons |year=2013 |publisher=Algora Publishing |location=New York |isbn=978-0-87586-963-6}}
|url=http://www.falklandislands.com/assets/documents/falklands-factsheet.pdf
*{{cite book |last=Balmaceda |first=Daniel |title=Historias Inesperadas de la Historia Argentina |year=2011 |publisher=Editorial Sudamericana |location=Buenos Aires |language=es |isbn=978-950-07-3390-8}}
|title=The Falkland Islands
*{{cite book |last=Bell |first=Brian |editor=Beau Riffenburgh |chapter=Introduced Species |title=Encyclopedia of the Antarctic |year=2007 |volume=1 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=978-0-415-97024-2}}
|publisher=Falkland Islands Tourist Board
*{{cite book |last=Bernhardson |first=Wayne |title=Patagonia: Including the Falkland Islands |year=2011 |publisher=Friesens |location=Altona, Manitoba |isbn=978-1-59880-965-7}}
|accessdate = 2010-05-19}}</ref>
*{{cite book |last1=Bertram |first1=Esther |last2=Muir |first2=Shona |last3=Stonehouse |first3=Bernard |title=Prospects for Polar Tourism |chapter=Gateway Ports in the Development of Antarctic Tourism |year=2007 |publisher=CAB International |location=Oxon, England |isbn=978-1-84593-247-3}}

*{{cite book |last1=Blouet |first1=Brian |last2=Blouet |first2=Olwyn |title=Latin America and the Caribbean |year=2009 |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |location=Hoboken, New Jersey |isbn=978-0-470-38773-3}}
==Landmines and ordnance==
*{{cite book |last=Buckman |first=Robert |title=Latin America 2012 |year=2012 |publisher=Stryker-Post Publications |location=Ranson, West Virginia |isbn=978-1-61048-887-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781610488877}}
Depending on the source, between 18,000 and 25,000 ]s remain from the 1982 war. One source says that Argentina placed 18,000 landmines.<ref>{{cite web
*{{cite book |last=Cahill |first=Kevin |title=Who Owns the World: The Surprising Truth About Every Piece of Land on the Planet |year=2010 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |location=New York |isbn=978-0-446-55139-7}}
|url=http://maic.jmu.edu/JOURNAL/5.2/focus/falklands.htm
*{{cite book |last=Calvert |first=Peter |title=A Political and Economic Dictionary of Latin America |year=2004 |publisher=Europa Publications |location=London |isbn=978-0-203-40378-5}}
|title=Landmines in the Sand: The Falkland Islands, by Juan Carlos Ruan and Jill E. Macheme (5.2)|publisher=maic.jmu.edu
*{{cite book |last=Carafano |first=James Jay |chapter=Falkland/Malvinas Islands |title=Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History |year=2005 |editor=Will Kaufman |editor2=Heidi Slettedahl Macpherson |publisher=ABC–CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, California |isbn=978-1-85109-431-8}}
|accessdate=2009-06-20}}</ref> The British Government stated that all but one of their anti-personnel mine were accounted for.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1998/apr/28/landmines-falkland-islands|title=Landmines (Falkland Islands) (Hansard, 28 April 1998)|publisher=hansard.millbanksystems.com|accessdate=2009-06-20}}</ref> The land mines are located in either 101 or 117 mine fields, that are dispersed over an area of 8 sq mi (20&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) in the areas of Port Stanley, Port Howard, Fox Bay and Goose Green (these areas are now well marked).<ref name="Landmine Monitor">{{cite web|url=http://lm.icbl.org/index.php/publications/display?url=lm/2002/falk_malv.html|title=Landmine Monitor (LM): Landmine Monitor|publisher=lm.icbl.org|accessdate=2009-06-20}}</ref> Information is available from the EOD (]) Operation Centre in Stanley.<ref name="Landmine Monitor"/>
*{{cite book |last=Cawkell |first=Mary |title=The History of the Falkland Islands |year=2001 |publisher=Anthony Nelson Ltd. |location=Oswestry, England |isbn=978-0-904614-55-8}}

*{{cite book |author=Central Intelligence Agency |title=The CIA World Factbook 2012 |year=2011 |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. |location=New York |isbn=978-1-61608-332-8 |author-link=Central Intelligence Agency}}
Some beaches were mined, and there have been concerns the tides could have moved some mines. Mines near rivers may also have been washed out of the marked area by flooding. As well, there is ] from the war. Between 1997 and 2002, 248 antipersonnel mines were destroyed in the Falklands, 16 were destroyed in 2003, one in 2005 and six antipersonnel mines were destroyed in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lm.icbl.org/index.php/publications/display?url=lm/2007/falk_malv.html |title=Landmine Monitor (LM): Landmine Monitor |publisher=Lm.icbl.org |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>
*{{cite book |last1=Clark |first1=Malcolm |last2=Dingwall |first2=Paul |title=Conservation of Islands in the Southern Ocean |year=1985 |publisher=] |location=Cambridge, England |isbn=978-2-88032-503-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/conservationofis0000clar}}

*{{cite book |last=Day |first=David |title=Antarctica: A Biography |edition=Reprint |year=2013 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford, England |isbn=978-0-19-967055-0}}
In February 2005, the charity Landmine Action proposed a ]-style credit scheme, which would see a commitment by the British government to clear an equivalent area of mined land to that currently existing in the Falklands in more seriously mine-affected countries by March 2009. This proposal was supported by Falkland Islanders, for whom landmines do not pose a serious threat in everyday life.<ref>http://www.theworkcontinues.org/page.asp?id=127</ref> The British government has yet to declare its support or opposition to the idea.
*{{cite book |last=Dotan |first=Yossi |title=Watercraft on World Coins: America and Asia, 1800–2008 |volume=2 |year=2010 |publisher=The Alpha Press |location=Portland, Oregon |isbn=978-1-898595-50-2}}

*{{cite book |last=Dunmore |first=John |title=Storms and Dreams |year=2005 |publisher=Exisle Publishing Limited |location=Auckland, New Zealand |isbn=978-0-908988-57-0}}
In November 2008, Landmine Action opposed Britain's request for a ten year extension on the deadline for clearing the landmines. It accused the British Government of not demonstrating "any evidence of serious plans to complete, or even begin, this work" and stated "Allowing a well-resourced, technically capable State such as the United Kingdom to effectively ignore its responsibilities would set a dangerous and ethically unacceptable precedent." <ref>http://www.landmineaction.org/resources/uk_and_the_falkland_islands__art_5.pdf</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Crawford |first=Angus |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7742661.stm |title=UK &#124; UK Politics &#124; UK misses Falklands mine deadline |publisher=BBC News |date=2008-11-24 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> However, in 2008, the UK Government argued that in stark contrast to minefields elsewhere, "There have never been any civilian injuries in almost 26 years" in the Falklands.<ref>http://www.apminebanconvention.org/fileadmin/pdf/mbc/IWP/SC_june08/Speeches-MC/SCMC-StocktakingArt5-4June08-UnitedKingdom-en.pdf</ref>
*{{cite book |author=Foreign Office |title=Report on the Proceedings of the General Assembly of the United Nations |year=1961 |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |location=London}}

*{{cite book |last=Gibran |first=Daniel |title=The Falklands War: Britain Versus the Past in the South Atlantic |year=1998 |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |isbn=978-0-7864-0406-3}}
On 30 November 2009 the Falkland Islands Government announced that mine clearance was due to begin at Surf Bay on 2 December 2009, and further clearances were to take place at Sapper Hill, Goose Green and Fox Bay. The British company BATEC International was chosen to carry out the project,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/news/2009/11/mine-clearance-begins-at-surf-bay/ |title=Mine Clearance Begins at Surf Bay « Falkland Islands Government News |publisher=Falklands.gov.fk |date=2009-11-30 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> "The work began on 4 December 2009 and is expected to be completed in the middle of 2010." (Hansard 5 January 2010).<ref>{{cite web|author=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons, Westminster |url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200910/cmhansrd/cm100105/text/100105w0049.htm |title=Hansard |publisher=Parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> The workers are using Argentinian and UK records to help determine the location of mines.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8564061.stm|title=The long road to clearing Falklands landmines |author=Rajesh Mirchandani |date=14 March 2010 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |accessdate=11 April 2010}}</ref>
*{{cite book |last=Goebel |first=Julius |title=The Struggle for the Falkland Islands: A Study in Legal and Diplomatic History |year=1971 |orig-date=1927 |publisher=Kennikat Press |location=Port Washington, New York |isbn=978-0-8046-1390-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/struggleforfalkl0000goeb_v6k7}}

*{{cite book |last=Graham-Yooll |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Graham-Yooll |title=Imperial Skirmishes: War and Gunboat Diplomacy in Latin America |year=2002 |publisher=Signal Books Limited |location=Oxford, England |isbn=978-1-902669-21-2}}
==Military==
*{{cite book |last=Guo |first=Rongxing |title=Territorial Disputes and Resource Management |year=2007 |publisher=] |location=New York |isbn=978-1-60021-445-5}}
{{Main|Military of the Falkland Islands}}
*{{cite book |last=Gustafson |first=Lowell |title=The Sovereignty Dispute Over the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands |year=1988 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-19-504184-2}}
]]]
*{{cite book |last1=Haddelsey |first1=Stephen |last2=Carroll |first2=Alan |title=Operation Tabarin: Britain's Secret Wartime Expedition to Antarctica 1944–46 |year=2014 |publisher=The History Press |location=Stroud, England |isbn=978-0-7509-5511-9}}
There is a British military garrison stationed on the Falkland Islands, but the islands also have their own ]. This ] sized force is completely funded by the ]. It uses vehicles such as: ]s, ]s and ]s to traverse the islands' terrain. The Falkland Islands Defence Force uses the ] as its main ].
*{{cite book |last=Headland |first=Robert |title=Chronological List of Antarctic Expeditions and Related Historical Events |year=1989 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-521-30903-5}}

*{{cite book |last=Heawood |first=Edward |title=A History of Geographical Discovery in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries |year=2011 |edition=Reprint |editor=F. H. H. Guillemard |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-1-107-60049-2}}
A 2009 front-page report in RAF News <ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.mercopress.com/2009/02/02/prince-william-as-sar-pilot-could-spend-time-in-falklands |title=Prince William as SAR pilot could spend time in Falklands — MercoPress |publisher=En.mercopress.com |date=2009-02-02 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref> that ] would serve a 3-month tour of duty in the Falkland Islands, following completion of his 18-month training with the ] drew a critical response from the Argentine government in January 2009.<ref>{{cite news|author=Published: 11:54PM GMT 02 Feb 2009 |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/4440789/Prince-Williams-deployment-to-Falkland-Islands-upsets-Argentina.html |title=Prince William's deployment to Falkland Islands upsets Argentina |publisher=Telegraph |date=2009-02-02 |accessdate=2010-03-15 | location=London}}</ref> However, the Ministry of Defence denied that any decision on the Prince's deployment had been raised.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g3Ql194Jgzr2W8mZMHX338cnshqQ |title=AFP: No decision taken on Prince William's Falklands mission |publisher=Google.com |date=2009-02-02 |accessdate=2010-03-15}}</ref>
*{{cite book |last=Hemmerle |first=Oliver Benjamin |editor=R. W. McColl |chapter=Falkland Islands |title=Encyclopedia of World Geography |volume=1 |year=2005 |publisher=Golson Books, Ltd. |location=New York |isbn=978-0-8160-5786-3}}

*{{cite book |last=Hertslet |first=Lewis |author-link=Lewis Hertslet |title=A Complete Collection of the Treaties and Conventions, and Reciprocal Regulations, At Present Subsisting Between Great Britain and Foreign Powers, and of the Laws, Decrees, and Orders in Council, Concerning the Same |year=1851 |publisher=Harrison and Son |location=London |volume=8}}
==See also==
*{{cite book |last=Hince |first=Bernadette |title=The Antarctic Dictionary |year=2001 |publisher=] |location=Collingwood, Melbourne |isbn=978-0-9577471-1-1}}
{{Portal box|United Kingdom|Geography}}
*{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Roger |title=What's Who? A Dictionary of Things Named After People and the People They are Named After |year=2009 |publisher=Matador |location=Leicester, England |isbn=978-1-84876-047-9}}
{{Main|Outline of the Falkland Islands}}
*{{cite book |last=Jónsdóttir |first=Ingibjörg |editor=Jorge Rabassa |editor2=Maria Laura Borla |chapter=Botany during the Swedish Antarctic Expedition 1901–1903 |title=Antarctic Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego |year=2007 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=Leiden, Netherlands |isbn=978-0-415-41379-4}}
* ]
*{{cite book |last=Klügel |first=Andreas |editor=Rosemary Gillespie |editor2=David Clague |chapter=Atlantic Region |title=Encyclopedia of Islands |year=2009 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |isbn=978-0-520-25649-1}}
* ]
*{{cite book |last=Lansford |first=Tom |title=Political Handbook of the World 2012 |year=2012 |editor=Thomas Muller |editor2=Judith Isacoff |editor3=Tom Lansford |publisher=CQ Press |location=Los Angeles, California |isbn=978-1-60871-995-2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/politicalhandboo0000unse_a2s3}}
* ]
*{{cite book |last=Laver |first=Roberto |title=The Falklands/Malvinas Case |year=2001 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers |location=The Hague |isbn=978-90-411-1534-8}}

*{{cite book |last=Marley |first=David |title=Wars of the Americas |year=2008 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, California |edition=2nd |isbn=978-1-59884-100-8}}
==References==
*{{cite book |last=Minahan |first=James |title=Ethnic Groups of the Americas |year=2013 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, California |isbn=978-1-61069-163-5}}
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
*{{cite book |last=Paine |first=Lincoln |title=Ships of Discovery and Exploration |year=2000 |publisher=] |location=New York |isbn=978-0-395-98415-4}}
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last1=Pascoe |first1=Graham |last2=Pepper |first2=Peter |chapter=Luis Vernet |title=The Dictionary of Falklands Biography (Including South Georgia): From Discovery Up to 1981 |editor=David Tatham |editor-link=David Tatham |publisher=David Tatham |location=Ledbury, England |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-9558985-0-1}}
{{Refend}}
*{{cite book |last=Peterson |first=Harold |title=Argentina and the United States 1810–1960 |year=1964 |publisher=University Publishers Inc. |location=New York |isbn=978-0-87395-010-7}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |last=Prideaux |first=Bruce |title=Falkland Islands |encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Tourism and Recreation in Marine Environments |editor=Michael Lück |publisher=CAB International |location=Oxon, England |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-84593-350-0}}
*{{cite book |last1=Reginald |first1=Robert |last2=Elliot |first2=Jeffrey |title=Tempest in a Teapot: The Falkland Islands War |year=1983 |publisher=Whitehall Co. |location=Wheeling, Illinois |isbn=978-0-89370-267-0}}
*{{cite book |last=Room |first=Adrian |author-link=Adrian Room |title=Placenames of the World |edition=2nd |year=2006 |publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc. |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |isbn=978-0-7864-2248-7}}
*{{cite book |last=Royle |first=Stephen |title=A Geography of Islands: Small Island Insularity |year=2001 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |isbn=978-0-203-16036-7}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |last=Royle |first=Stephen |title=The Falkland Islands |year=2006 |encyclopedia=Extreme Tourism: Lessons from the World's Cold Water Islands |editor=Godfrey Baldacchino |publisher=Elsevier |location=Amsterdam |isbn=978-0-08-044656-1}}
*{{cite book |last=Sainato |first=Vincenzo |editor=] |editor2=Janet Stamatel |editor3=Hang-en Sung |chapter=Falkland Islands |title=Crime and Punishment around the World |volume=2 |year=2010 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, California |isbn=978-0-313-35133-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Segal |first=Gerald |title=The World Affairs Companion |url=https://archive.org/details/worldaffairscomp00sega |url-access=registration |year=1991 |publisher=Simon & Schuster/Touchstone |location=New York |isbn=978-0-671-74157-0}}
*{{cite book |last=Sicker |first=Martin |title=The Geopolitics of Security in the Americas |year=2002 |publisher=Praeger Publishers |location=Westport, Connecticut |isbn=978-0-275-97255-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Strange |first=Ian |title=The Falkland Islands and Their Natural History |year=1987 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot, England |isbn=978-0-7153-8833-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/falklandislands00stra}}
*{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Simon |last2=Márkus |first2=Gilbert |title=The Place-Names of Fife: Central Fife between the Rivers Leven and Eden |year=2005 |publisher=Shaun Tyas |location=Donington, England |isbn=978-1900289-93-1}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |last=Thomas |first=David |title=The View from Whitehall |encyclopedia=Toward Resolution? The Falklands/Malvinas Dispute |editor=Wayne Smith |publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers |location=Boulder, Colorado |year=1991 |isbn=978-1-55587-265-6}}
*{{cite book |last=Trewby |first=Mary |title=Antarctica: An Encyclopedia from Abbott Ice Shelf to Zooplankton |year=2002 |publisher=Firefly Books |location=], Ontario |isbn=978-1-55297-590-9}}
*{{cite book |last=Wagstaff |first=William |author-link=Will Wagstaff |title=Falkland Islands: The Bradt Travel Guide |year=2001 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides, Ltd. |location=Buckinghamshire, England |isbn=978-1-84162-037-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Zepeda |first=Alexis |chapter=Argentina |title=Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History |year=2005 |editor=Will Kaufman |editor2=Heidi Slettedahl Macpherson |publisher=ABC–CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, California |isbn=978-1-85109-431-8}}
{{refend}}


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* L.L. Ivanov et al. ] Sofia: Manfred Wörner Foundation, 2003. Printed in Bulgaria by Double T Publishers. 96 pp.&nbsp;ISBN 954-91503-1-3
*{{cite journal |first=César |last=Caviedes |title=Conflict Over The Falkland Islands: A Never-Ending Story? |journal=Latin American Research Review |volume=29 |year=1994 |issue=2 |pages=172–187 |doi=10.1017/S0023879100024171 |s2cid=252749716 |doi-access=free }}
* Carlos Escudé and Andrés Cisneros, eds. Work developed and published under the auspices of the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI). Buenos Aires: GEL/Nuevohacer, 2000. (in Spanish) ISBN 950-694-546-2
*{{cite journal |year=1846 |last=Darwin |first=Charles |title=On the Geology of the Falkland Islands |journal=] |volume=2 |issue=1–2 |pages=267–274 |doi=10.1144/GSL.JGS.1846.002.01-02.46 |s2cid=129936121 |url=http://www.umag.cl/investigacion/dpa/docs/267-a.pdf |access-date=9 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711103055/http://www.umag.cl/investigacion/dpa/docs/267-a.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}
* Graham Pascoe and Peter Pepper May 2008.
*{{cite book |editor-first=Carlos |editor-last=Escudé|editor-first2=Andrés |editor-last2=Cisneros |title=Historia de las Relaciones Exteriores Argentinas |location=Buenos Aires, Argentina |publisher=GEL/Nuevohacer |year=2000 |isbn=978-950-694-546-6}} Work developed and published under the auspices of the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI).
*
*{{cite book |last=Freedman |first=Lawrence |author-link=Lawrence Freedman |title=The Official History of the Falklands Campaign |url=https://archive.org/details/officialhistoryo0001free |url-access=registration |year=2005 |publisher=Routledge |location=Oxon, UK |isbn=978-0-7146-5207-8 }}
*{{cite news |author=Michael Frenchman |work=] |page=7 |title=Britain puts forward four options on Falklands (Nick Ridley visit & leaseback) |date=28 November 1980 |url=https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/112605 |access-date=5 July 2020 |archive-date=6 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706054656/https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/112605 |url-status=live }}
*{{cite journal |last=Greig |first=D. W. |url=http://www.austlii.com/au/journals/AUYrBkIntLaw//1978/2.pdf |title=Sovereignty and the Falkland Islands Crisis |journal=Australian Year Book of International Law |volume=8 |year=1983 |pages=20–70 |doi=10.1163/26660229-008-01-900000006 |issn=0084-7658 |access-date=5 September 2011 |archive-date=9 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709041530/http://www.austlii.com/au/journals/AUYrBkIntLaw//1978/2.pdf |url-status=live }}
*{{cite book |first=L. L. |last=Ivanov |title=The Future of the Falkland Islands and Its People |location=Sofia, Bulgaria |publisher=Manfred Wörner Foundation |year=2003 |isbn=978-954-91503-1-5 |display-authors=etal |title-link=s:The Future of the Falkland Islands and Its People}} Printed in Bulgaria by Double T Publishers.
{{refend}}


==External links== ==External links==
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*{{Wikiatlas|Falkland Islands}} *{{Wikiatlas|Falkland Islands}}
*{{official website}}
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*{{CIA World Factbook link|fk|Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)}} *
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* {{dmoz|Regional/South_America/Falkland_Islands/}}
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* *{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Falkland Islands |volume=10 |short=x}}
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Latest revision as of 22:47, 10 December 2024

Group of islands in the South Atlantic

"Falklands" and "Malvinas" redirect here. For other uses, see Falklands (disambiguation) and Malvinas (disambiguation).

British Overseas Territory in United Kingdom
Falkland Islands
British Overseas Territory
Flag of Falkland Islands
FlagOfficial seal of Falkland Islands
Coat of arms
Motto: "Desire the Right"
Anthem: "God Save the King"
Unofficial anthem: "Song of the Falklands"
Location of the Falkland IslandsLocation of the Falkland Islands
Sovereign state United Kingdom
First settlement1764
British rule reasserted3 January 1833
Falklands War2 April to
14 June 1982
Current constitution1 January 2009
Capitaland largest settlementStanley
51°41′43″S 57°50′58″W / 51.69528°S 57.84944°W / -51.69528; -57.84944
Official languagesEnglish
Demonym(s)Falkland Islander, Falklander
GovernmentDevolved parliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy
• Monarch Charles III
• Governor Alison Blake
• Chief Executive Andy Keeling
LegislatureLegislative Assembly
Government of the United Kingdom
• MinisterStephen Doughty
Area
• Total12,173 km (4,700 sq mi)
• Water (%)0
Highest elevation705 m (2,313 ft)
Population
• 2021 census3,662 (not ranked)
• Density0.30/km (0.8/sq mi) (not ranked)
GDP (PPP)2013 estimate
• Total$228.5 million
• Per capita$96,962 (4th)
Gini (2015)Negative increase 36.0
medium
HDI (2010)0.874
very high · not ranked
CurrencyPound sterling
Falkland Islands pound (£) (FKP)
Time zoneUTC– 03:00 (FKST)
Date formatdd/mm/yyyy
Driving sideLeft
Calling code+500
UK postcodeFIQQ 1ZZ
ISO 3166 codeFK
Internet TLD.fk
Websitewww.falklands.gov.fk

The Falkland Islands (/ˈfɔː(l)klənd, ˈfɒlk-/ FAW(L)K-lənd, FOLK-; Spanish: Islas Malvinas [ˈislas malˈβinas]) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 mi (480 km) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about 752 mi (1,210 km) from Cape Dubouzet at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, but the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is Stanley on East Falkland.

The islands are believed to have been uninhabited prior to European discovery in the 17th century. Controversy exists over the Falklands' discovery and subsequent colonisation by Europeans. At various times, the islands have had French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements. Britain reasserted its rule in 1833, but Argentina maintains its claim to the islands. In April 1982, Argentine military forces invaded the islands. British administration was restored two months later at the end of the Falklands War. In a 2013 sovereignty referendum, almost all Falklanders voted in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory. The territory's sovereignty status is part of an ongoing dispute between Argentina and the UK.

The population (3,662 inhabitants in 2021) is primarily native-born Falkland Islanders, the majority of British descent. Other ethnicities include French, Gibraltarians, and Scandinavians. Immigration from the United Kingdom, the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena, and Chile has reversed a population decline. The predominant (and official) language is English. Under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983, Falkland Islanders are British citizens.

The islands lie at the boundary of the subantarctic oceanic and tundra climate zones, and both major islands have mountain ranges reaching 2,300 ft (700 m). They are home to large bird populations, although many no longer breed on the main islands due to predation by introduced species. Major economic activities include fishing, tourism and sheep farming, with an emphasis on high-quality wool exports. Oil exploration, licensed by the Falkland Islands Government, remains controversial as a result of maritime disputes with Argentina.

Etymology

See also: List of Falkland Islands placenames

The name "Falkland Islands" comes from Falkland Sound, the strait that separates the two main islands. The name "Falkland" was applied to the channel by John Strong, captain of an English expedition that landed on the islands in 1690. Strong named the strait in honour of Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland, the Treasurer of the Navy who sponsored his journey. The Viscount's title originates from the town of Falkland, Scotland—the town's name probably comes from a Gaelic term referring to an "enclosure" (lann), but it could less plausibly be from the Anglo-Saxon term "folkland" (land held by folk-right). The name "Falklands" was not applied to the islands until 1765, when British captain John Byron of the Royal Navy claimed them for King George III as "Falkland's Islands". The term "Falklands" is a standard abbreviation used to refer to the islands.

The common Spanish name for the archipelago, Islas Malvinas, derives from the French Îles Malouines—the name given to the islands by French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville in 1764. Bougainville, who founded the islands' first settlement, named the area after the port of Saint-Malo (the point of departure for his ships and colonists). The port, located in the Brittany region of western France, was named after St. Malo (or Maclou), the Christian evangelist who founded the city.

In 1965, at the 20th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Fourth Committee determined that, in all languages other than Spanish, all UN documentation would designate the territory as Falkland Islands (Malvinas). In Spanish, the territory was designated as Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands). The nomenclature used by the United Nations for statistical processing purposes is Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

History

Main articles: History of the Falkland Islands and Timeline of the history of the Falkland Islands

Although Fuegians from Patagonia may have visited the Falkland Islands in prehistoric times, the islands were uninhabited when Europeans first explored them. European claims of discovery date back to the 16th century, but no consensus exists on whether early explorers sighted the Falklands or other islands in the South Atlantic. The first undisputed landing on the islands is attributed to English captain John Strong, who, en route to Peru and Chile's littoral in 1690, explored the Falkland Sound and noted the islands' water and game.

The Falklands remained uninhabited until the 1764 establishment of Port Louis on East Falkland by French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville and the 1765 foundation of Port Egmont on Saunders Island by Captain John Byron; the latter settlement being expanded by British captain John MacBride a year later. Whether or not the settlements were aware of each other's existence is debated by historians. In 1766, France surrendered its claim on the Falklands to Spain, which renamed the French colony Puerto Soledad the following year. Problems began when Spain detected and captured Port Egmont in 1770. War was narrowly avoided by its restitution to Britain in 1771.

The British and Spanish settlements coexisted in the archipelago until 1774, when Britain's new economic and strategic considerations led it to withdraw the garrison from the islands, leaving a plaque claiming the Falklands for King George III. Spain's Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata became the only formal presence in the territory. West Falkland was left abandoned, and Puerto Soledad became a penal colony. Amid the British invasions of the Río de la Plata during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, the islands' governor evacuated the archipelago in 1806; Spain's remaining colonial garrison followed suit in 1811, except for gauchos and fishermen who remained voluntarily.

Thereafter, the archipelago was visited only by fishing ships; its political status was undisputed until 1820, when Colonel David Jewett, an American privateer working for the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, informed anchored ships about Buenos Aires' 1816 claim to Spain's territories in the South Atlantic. Since the islands had no permanent inhabitants, in 1823 Buenos Aires granted German-born merchant Luis Vernet permission to conduct fishing activities and exploit feral cattle in the archipelago. Vernet settled at the ruins of Puerto Soledad in 1826, and accumulated resources on the islands until the venture was secure enough to bring settlers and form a permanent colony. Buenos Aires named Vernet military and civil commander of the islands in 1829, and he attempted to regulate sealing to stop the activities of foreign whalers and sealers. Vernet's venture lasted until a dispute related to fishing and hunting rights led to a raid by the American warship USS Lexington in 1831, when United States Navy commander Silas Duncan declared the dissolution of the island's government.

Three men in horseback examine a pastoral settlement
Depiction of a Falklands corral, shepherds and sheep in 1849 (painting by Royal Navy Admiral Edward Fanshawe)

Buenos Aires attempted to gain influence over the settlement by installing a garrison in October 1832, which mutinied within a month and was followed the next year by the arrival of British forces, who reasserted Britain's rule. The Argentine Confederation (headed by Buenos Aires Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas) protested against Britain's actions, and Argentine governments have continued since then to register official protests against Britain. The British troops departed after completing their mission, leaving the area without formal government. Vernet's deputy, the Scotsman Matthew Brisbane, returned to the islands that year to restore the business, but his efforts ended after, amid unrest at Port Louis, gaucho Antonio Rivero led a group of dissatisfied individuals to murder Brisbane and the settlement's senior leaders; survivors hid in a cave on a nearby island until the British returned and restored order. In 1840, the Falklands became a Crown colony and Scottish settlers subsequently established an official pastoral community. Four years later, nearly everyone relocated to Port Jackson, considered a better location for the government, and merchant Samuel Lafone began a venture to encourage British colonisation.

Stanley, as Port Jackson was soon renamed, officially became the seat of government in 1845. Early in its history, Stanley had a negative reputation due to cargo-shipping losses; only in emergencies would ships rounding Cape Horn stop at the port. Nevertheless, the Falklands' geographic location proved ideal for ship repairs and the "Wrecking Trade", the business of selling and buying shipwrecks and their cargoes. Aside from this trade, commercial interest in the archipelago was minimal due to the low-value hides of the feral cattle roaming the pastures. Economic growth began only after the Falkland Islands Company, which bought out Lafone's failing enterprise in 1851, successfully introduced Cheviot sheep for wool farming, spurring other farms to follow suit. The high cost of importing materials, combined with the shortage of labour and consequent high wages, meant the ship repair trade became uncompetitive. After 1870 it declined as the replacement of sail ships by steamships was accelerated by the low cost of coal in South America; by 1914, with the opening of the Panama Canal, the trade effectively ended. In 1881, the Falkland Islands became financially independent of Britain. For more than a century, the Falkland Islands Company dominated the trade and employment of the archipelago; in addition, it owned most housing in Stanley, which greatly benefited from the wool trade with the UK.

Two battling ships, with one sinking
Naval confrontation during the 1914 Battle of the Falkland Islands (painting by William Lionel Wyllie)

In the first half of the 20th century, the Falklands served an important role in Britain's territorial claims to subantarctic islands and a section of Antarctica. The Falklands governed these territories as the Falkland Islands Dependencies starting in 1908 and retained them until their dissolution in 1985. The Falklands also played a minor role in the two world wars as a military base aiding control of the South Atlantic. In the First World War Battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914, a Royal Navy fleet defeated an Imperial German squadron. In the Second World War, following the December 1939 Battle of the River Plate, the battle-damaged HMS Exeter steamed to the Falklands for repairs. In 1942, a battalion en route to India was redeployed to the Falklands as a garrison amid fears of a Japanese seizure of the archipelago. After the war ended, the Falklands economy was affected by declining wool prices and the political uncertainty resulting from the revived sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina.

Simmering tensions between the UK and Argentina increased during the second half of the century, when Argentine President Juan Perón asserted sovereignty over the archipelago. The sovereignty dispute intensified during the 1960s, shortly after the United Nations passed a resolution on decolonisation which Argentina interpreted as favourable to its position. In 1965, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 2065, calling for both states to conduct bilateral negotiations to reach a peaceful settlement of the dispute. From 1966 until 1968, the UK confidentially discussed with Argentina the transfer of the Falklands, assuming its judgement would be accepted by the islanders. An agreement on trade ties between the archipelago and the mainland was reached in 1971 and, consequently, Argentina built a temporary airfield at Stanley in 1972. Nonetheless, Falklander dissent, as expressed by their strong lobby in the UK Parliament, and tensions between the UK and Argentina effectively limited sovereignty negotiations until 1977.

Concerned at the expense of maintaining the Falkland Islands in an era of budget cuts, the UK again considered transferring sovereignty to Argentina in the early Thatcher government. Substantive sovereignty talks again ended by 1981, and the dispute escalated with passing time. In April 1982 the Falklands War began when Argentine military forces invaded the Falklands and other British territories in the South Atlantic, briefly occupying them until a UK expeditionary force retook the territories in June. After the war the UK expanded its military presence, building RAF Mount Pleasant and increasing the size of its garrison. The war also left some 117 minefields containing nearly 20,000 mines of various types, including anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines. Due to the large number of deminer casualties, initial attempts to clear the mines ceased in 1983. Demining operations recommenced in 2009 and were completed in October 2020.

Based on Lord Shackleton's recommendations, the Falklands diversified from a sheep-based monoculture into an economy of tourism and, with the establishment of the Falklands exclusive economic zone, fisheries. The road network was also made more extensive, and the construction of RAF Mount Pleasant allowed access to long haul flights. Oil exploration also began in the 2010s, with indications of possible commercially exploitable deposits in the Falklands basin. Landmine clearance work restarted in 2009, in accordance with the UK's obligations under the Ottawa Treaty, and Sapper Hill Corral was cleared of mines in 2012, allowing access to an important historical landmark for the first time in 30 years. Argentina and the UK re-established diplomatic relations in 1990, but neither has agreed on the terms of future sovereignty discussions.

Government

Main article: Politics of the Falkland Islands
Large, rambling house with greenhouse and white fence
Government House in Stanley is the Governor's official residence.

The Falkland Islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory. Under the 2009 Constitution, the islands have full internal self-government; the UK is responsible for foreign affairs, retaining the power "to protect UK interests and to ensure the overall good governance of the territory". The Monarch of the United Kingdom is the head of state, and executive authority is exercised on the monarch's behalf by the governor, who appoints the islands' chief executive on the advice of members of the Legislative Assembly. Both the governor and the chief executive serve as the head of government.

Governor Alison Blake was appointed in July 2022 and Chief Executive Andy Keeling was appointed in April 2021. The UK minister responsible for the Falkland Islands since 2024, Stephen Doughty, administers British foreign policy regarding the islands.

The governor acts on the advice of the islands' Executive Council, composed of the chief executive, the Director of Finance and three elected members of the Legislative Assembly (with the governor as chairman). The Legislative Assembly, a unicameral legislature, consists of the chief executive, the director of finance and eight members (five from Stanley and three from Camp) elected to four-year terms by universal suffrage. All politicians in the Falkland Islands are independent; no political parties exist on the islands. Since the 2013 general election, members of the Legislative Assembly have received a salary and are expected to work full-time and give up all previously held jobs or business interests.

As a territory of the United Kingdom, the Falklands were part of the overseas countries and territories of the European Union until 2020. The islands' judicial system, overseen by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is largely based on English law, and the constitution binds the territory to the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights. Residents have the right of appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and the Privy Council. Law enforcement is the responsibility of the Royal Falkland Islands Police (RFIP).

Defence

Main article: Military of the Falkland Islands

Defence of the islands is provided by the United Kingdom. A British military garrison is stationed on the islands, and the Falkland Islands government funds an additional platoon to company-sized light infantry Falkland Islands Defence Force. The Falklands claim an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending 200 nmi (370 km) from its coastal baselines, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; this zone overlaps with the EEZ of Argentina.

Sovereignty dispute

Main article: Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute

The UK and Argentina both assert sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. The UK bases its position on its continuous administration of the islands since 1833 and the islanders' "right to self-determination as set out in the UN Charter". Argentina claims that, when it achieved independence in 1816, it acquired the Falklands from Spain. The incident of 1833 is particularly contentious; Argentina considers it proof of "Britain's usurpation" whereas the UK discounts it as a mere reassertion of its claim.

In 2009, the British prime minister, Gordon Brown, had a meeting with the Argentine president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and said that there would be no further talks over the sovereignty of the Falklands. In March 2013, the Falkland Islands held a referendum on its political status: 99.8% of votes cast favoured remaining a British overseas territory. Argentina does not recognise the Falkland Islanders as a partner in negotiations.

However, in May, 2024, newly elected Argentine president Javier Milei, expressed general acceptance and tolerance for British rule, for the time being, noting it could take decades for Argentina to gain control of the islands. Though asserting “We relinquish our sovereignty" over the islands, Milei said they would not "seek conflict with the United Kingdom" over them, preferring to resolve the dispute "within the framework of peace."

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Falkland Islands
Topographic image
Map of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands have a land area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km) and a coastline estimated at 800 mi (1,300 km). The archipelago consists of two main islands, West Falkland and East Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. The islands are predominantly mountainous and hilly, with the major exception being the depressed plains of Lafonia (a peninsula forming the southern part of East Falkland). The Falklands consists of continental crust fragments resulting from the break-up of Gondwana and the opening of the South Atlantic that began 130 million years ago. The islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean, on the Patagonian Shelf, about 300 mi (480 km) east of Patagonia in southern Argentina.

The Falklands' approximate location is latitude 51°40′ – 53°00′ S and longitude 57°40′ – 62°00′ W. The archipelago's two main islands are separated by the Falkland Sound, and its deep coastal indentations form natural harbours. East Falkland houses Stanley (the capital and largest settlement), the UK military base at RAF Mount Pleasant, and the archipelago's highest point: Mount Usborne, at 2,313 ft (705 m). Outside of these significant settlements is the area colloquially known as "Camp", which is derived from the Spanish term for countryside (Campo).

The climate of the islands is cold, windy, and humid maritime. Variability of daily weather is typical throughout the archipelago. Rainfall is common over half of the year, averaging 610 mm (24 in) in Stanley, and sporadic light snowfall occurs nearly all year. The temperature has historically stayed between 21.1 and −11.1 °C (70.0 and 12.0 °F) in Stanley, with mean monthly temperatures varying from 9 °C (48 °F) in January and February (summer) to −1 °C (30 °F) in July (winter). Strong westerly winds and cloudy skies are common. Although numerous storms are recorded each month, conditions are normally calm.

Biodiversity

Main article: Wildlife of the Falkland Islands
Large group of short, squat penguins on barren shore
Colony of southern rockhopper penguins on Saunders Island

The Falkland Islands are biogeographically part of the Antarctic zone, with strong connections to the flora and fauna of Patagonia in mainland South America. Land birds make up most of the Falklands' avifauna. The only endemic bird species on the Falkland Islands are the flightless Falkland steamer duck and Cobb's wren. 63 species breed on the islands, including 14 endemic subspecies.

There is also abundant arthropod diversity on the islands. The Falklands' flora consists of 163 native vascular species. More than 400 species of lichens and lichen-dwelling fungi have been recorded. The islands' only native terrestrial mammal, the warrah, was hunted to extinction by European settlers.

The islands are frequented by marine mammals, such as the southern elephant seal and the South American fur seal, and various types of cetaceans; offshore islands house the rare striated caracara. There are also five different penguin species and a few of the largest albatross colonies on the planet. Endemic fish around the islands are primarily from the genus Galaxias. The Falklands are treeless and have a wind-resistant vegetation predominantly composed of a variety of dwarf shrubs.

Virtually the entire land area of the islands is used as pasture for sheep. Introduced species include reindeer, hares, rabbits, Patagonian foxes, brown rats, and cats. Several of these species have harmed native flora and fauna, so the government has tried to contain, remove or exterminate foxes, rabbits and rats. Endemic land animals have been the most affected by introduced species, and several bird species have been extirpated from the larger islands. The extent of human impact on the Falklands is unclear, since there is little long-term data on habitat change.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Falkland Islands See also: Falkland Islands oil
Aerial photograph of small seaside city
Stanley, now officially a city, is the financial centre of the Falkland Islands' economy.

As of 2023, the economy of the Falkland Islands is ranked the 221st largest out of 229 in the world by GDP (PPP), but ranks 10th worldwide by GDP (PPP) per capita. The unemployment rate was 1% in 2016, and inflation was calculated at 1.4% in 2014. Based on 2010 data, the islands have a high Human Development Index of 0.874 and a moderate Gini coefficient for income inequality of 34.17. The local currency is the Falkland Islands pound, which is pegged to the British pound sterling.

Economic development was advanced by ship resupplying and sheep farming for high-quality wool. The main sheep breeds in the Falkland Islands are Polwarth and Corriedale. During the 1980s, although ranch under-investment and the use of synthetic fibres damaged the sheep-farming sector, the government secured a major revenue stream by the establishment of an exclusive economic zone and the sale of fishing licences to "anybody wishing to fish within this zone". Since the end of the Falklands War in 1982, the islands' economic activity increasingly focused on oil field exploration and tourism. All large settlements are now connected by road and, since 2008, a ferry links West and East Falkland. The islands' major exports include wool, hides, venison, fish and squid; its main imports include fuel, building materials and clothing.

The port settlement of Stanley has regained the islands' economic focus, with an increase in population as workers migrate from Camp. Fear of dependence on fishing licences and threats from overfishing, illegal fishing and fish market price fluctuations led to increased interest in oil drilling as an alternative source of revenue. As of 2001 exploration efforts had yet to find "exploitable reserves". By 2023, oil exploration was still proceeding off the shelf of the islands with a deepwater project led by Rockhopper Exploration. In 2023, Rockhopper (working with Tel Aviv-listed Navitas Petroleum) indicated that it had been presented with a new development plan for its Sea Lion project that aimed to cut costs and proceed in phases. It was stated that: "If realized, the new plan – with a total price tag of $2.2 billion – could lead to 80,000 barrels per day of production (up to 100,000 b/d at peak) via a leased floating production, storage and offloading unit". A final investment decision had been targeted for early 2024, though it was somewhat delayed. A public consultation on the project took place in the summer of 2024 and was reported to have garnered widespread support from Falkland Islanders. Since Britain's newly elected Labour Government banned similar oil projects in the United Kingdom, this created the prospect for a potential conflict between the Falkland Island's government and the British government. Nevertheless, the authority to approve oil development around the islands was said to rest solely with the Falkland Island's government. In November 2024, the Falkland's government Executive Council indicated that, while the public consultation process had been successfully concluded, "some matters" related to the Environmental Impact Statement required "further discussion" and that any development and production program would need to be considered separately by the Executive Council. Navitas Petroleum subsequently indicated that a final investment decision was delayed to mid-2025 with first oil not anticipated until late 2027, at the earliest. Although certified gross 2C recoverable oil resources had increased from 791 million bbls to 917 million bbls, phase 1 costs had increased to $1.4 billion.

Development projects in education and sports have been funded by the Falklands government, without aid from the United Kingdom.

The primary sector of the economy accounts for most of the Falkland Islands' gross domestic product, with the fishing industry alone contributing between 50% and 60% of annual GDP; agriculture also contributes significantly to GDP and employs about a tenth of the population. A little over a quarter of the workforce serves the Falkland Islands government, making it the archipelago's largest employer. Tourism, part of the service economy, has been spurred by increased interest in Antarctic exploration and the creation of direct air links with the United Kingdom and South America. Tourists, mostly cruise ship passengers, are attracted by the archipelago's wildlife and environment, as well as activities such as fishing and wreck diving; the majority find accommodation in Stanley. The main international airport, located at RAF Mount Pleasant on East Falkland, provides flights to RAF Brize Norton in the UK and mainland South America. Port Stanley Airport provides internal flights. Despite COVID-19 pandemic restrictions causing suspensions of flights from Santiago and São Paulo and prohibited cruise ship tourism, the economy of the islands remains stable and healthy.

Transport

Main article: Transport in the Falkland Islands

Demographics

See also: Origins of Falkland Islanders and Religion in the Falkland Islands
Photograph of a building
Christ Church Cathedral, the local parish church of the Anglican Communion. Most Falklanders identify as Christian.

The Falkland Islands population is homogeneous, mostly descended from Scottish and Welsh immigrants who settled in the territory after 1833. The Falkland-born population are also descended from English and French people, Gibraltarians, Scandinavians, and South Americans. The 2016 census indicated that 43% of residents were born on the archipelago, with foreign-born residents assimilated into local culture. The legal term for the right of residence is "belonging to the islands". In 1983, full British citizenship was given to Falkland Islanders under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983.

A significant population decline affected the archipelago in the 20th century, with many young islanders moving overseas in search of education, a modern lifestyle, and better job opportunities, particularly to the British city of Southampton, which came to be known in the islands as "Stanley North". In recent years, the islands' population decline has reduced, thanks to immigrants from the United Kingdom, Saint Helena, and Chile. In the 2012 census, a majority of residents listed their nationality as Falkland Islander (59 per cent), followed by British (29 per cent), Saint Helenian (9.8 per cent), and Chilean (5.4 per cent). A small number of Argentines also live on the islands.

The Falkland Islands have a low population density. According to the 2012 census, the average daily population of the Falklands was 2,932, excluding military personnel serving in the archipelago and their dependents. A 2012 report counted 1,300 uniformed personnel and 50 British Ministry of Defence civil servants present in the Falklands. Stanley (with 2,121 residents) is the most-populous location on the archipelago, followed by Mount Pleasant (369 residents, primarily air-base contractors) and Camp (351 residents). The islands' age distribution is skewed towards working age (20–60). Males outnumber females (53 to 47 per cent), and this discrepancy is most prominent in the 20–60 age group.

In the 2012 census, most islanders identified themselves as Christian (66 per cent), followed by those with no religious affiliation (32 per cent). The remaining 2 per cent identified as adherents of other religions, including the Baháʼí Faith, Buddhism, and Islam. The main Christian denominations are Anglicanism and other Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism.

Education in the Falkland Islands, which follows England's system, is free and compulsory for residents aged between 5 and 16 years. Primary education is available at Stanley, RAF Mount Pleasant (for children of service personnel) and a number of rural settlements. Secondary education is only available in Stanley, which offers boarding facilities and 12 subjects to General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level. Students aged 16 or older may study at colleges in England for their GCE Advanced Level or vocational qualifications. The Falkland Islands government pays for older students to attend institutions of higher education, usually in the United Kingdom.

Culture

Main article: Culture of the Falkland Islands
Two men in front of a fireplace about to exchange a drink
Gauchos from mainland South America, such as these two men having mate at Hope Place in East Falkland, influenced the local dialect.

Falklands culture is based on the cultural traditions of its British settlers but has also been influenced by Hispanic South America. Falklanders still use some terms and place names from the former Gaucho inhabitants. The Falklands' predominant and official language is English, with the foremost dialect being British English; nonetheless, some inhabitants also speak Spanish. According to naturalist Will Wagstaff, "the Falkland Islands are a very social place, and stopping for a chat is a way of life".

The islands have one weekly newspaper, The Penguin News, and television and radio broadcasts generally feature programming from the United Kingdom. Wagstaff describes the local cuisine as "very British in character with much use made of the home-grown vegetables, local lamb, mutton, beef, and fish". Common between meals are "homemade cakes and biscuits with tea or coffee". Social activities are, according to Wagstaff, "typical of that of a small British town with a variety of clubs and organisations covering many aspects of community life".

Sport

Main article: Sport in the Falkland Islands

Despite its small size, the Falkland Islands compete in the Commonwealth Games and Island Games. The Falkland Islands national cricket team is a member of the International Cricket Council.

See also

Notes

  1. According to researcher Simon Taylor, the exact Gaelic etymology is unclear as the "falk" in the name could have stood for "hidden" (falach), "wash" (failc), or "heavy rain" (falc).
  2. Based on his analysis of Falkland Islands discovery claims, historian John Dunmore concludes that " number of countries could therefore lay some claim to the archipelago under the heading of first discoverers: Spain, Holland, Britain, and even Italy and Portugal – although the last two claimants might be stretching things a little."
  3. In 1764, Bougainville claimed the islands in the name of Louis XV of France. In 1765, British captain John Byron claimed the islands in the name of George III of Great Britain.
  4. According to Argentine legal analyst Roberto Laver, the United Kingdom disregards Jewett's actions because the government he represented "was not recognised either by Britain or any other foreign power at the time" and "no act of occupation followed the ceremony of claiming possession".
  5. Before leaving for the Falklands Vernet stamped his grant at the British Consulate, repeating this when Buenos Aires extended his grant in 1828. The cordial relationship between the consulate and Vernet led him to express "the wish that, in the event of the British returning to the islands, HMG would take his settlement under their protection".
  6. The log of the "Lexington" only reports the destruction of arms and a powder store, but Vernet made a claim for compensation from the US Government stating that the entire settlement was destroyed.
  7. As discussed by Roberto Laver, not only did Rosas not break relations with Britain because of the "essential" nature of "British economic support", but he offered the Falklands "as a bargaining chip ... in exchange for the cancellation of Argentina's million-pound debt with the British bank of Baring Brothers". In 1850, Rosas' government ratified the Arana–Southern Treaty, which put "an end to the existing differences, and of restoring perfect relations of friendship" between the United Kingdom and Argentina.
  8. Argentina protested in 1841, 1849, 1884, 1888, 1908, 1927 and 1933, and has made annual protests to the United Nations since 1946.
  9. There were continual tensions with the colonial administration over Lafone's failure to establish any permanent settlers, and over the price of beef supplied to the settlement. Moreover, although his concession required Lafone to bring settlers from the UK, most of the settlers he brought were gauchos from Uruguay.
  10. The minefields were fenced off and marked; there remain unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices. Detection and clearance of mines in the Falklands has proven difficult as some were air-delivered and not in marked fields; approximately 80% lie in sand or peat, where the position of mines can shift, making removal procedures difficult.
  11. In 1976, Lord Shackleton produced a report into the economic future of the islands; but his recommendations were not implemented because Britain sought to avoid confronting Argentina over sovereignty. Lord Shackleton was once again tasked, in 1982, to produce a report into the economic development of the islands. His new report criticised the large farming companies, and recommended transferring ownership of farms from absentee landlords to local landowners. Shackleton also suggested diversifying the economy into fishing, oil exploration, and tourism; moreover, he recommended the establishment of a road network, and conservation measures to preserve the islands' natural resources.
  12. Argentina considers that, in 1833, the UK established an "illegal occupation" of the Falklands after expelling Argentine authorities and settlers from the islands with a threat of "greater force" and, afterwards, barring Argentines from resettling the islands. The Falkland Islands' government considers that only Argentina's military personnel was expelled in 1833, but its civilian settlers were "invited to stay" and did so except for 2 and their wives. International affairs scholar Lowell Gustafson considers that "he use of force by the British on the Falkland Islands in 1833 was less dramatic than later Argentine rhetoric has suggested".
  13. At the time of the 2012 census, 91 Falklands residents were overseas.

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  128. Bell 2007, pp. 542–545.
  129. ^ Royle 2001, p. 171.
  130. "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  131. "Real GDP per capita". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  132. Avakov 2013, p. 54.
  133. "Regions and territories: Falkland Islands". BBC News. 12 June 2012. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  134. See:
  135. "Agriculture". Falkland Islands Government. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  136. ^ Royle 2001, p. 170.
  137. Hemmerle 2005, p. 319.
  138. ^ "Falkland Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  139. Royle 2001, pp. 170–171.
  140. Schmidt, Katherine (27 March 2023). "Rockhopper, Navitas Look to Reboot Falklands Project". Energy Intelligence. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  141. Pearcy, Ed (30 September 2024). "UK can't stop Falkland Islands extracting million of barrels of oil". Offshore Technology. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  142. "Falklands, Sea Lion oil development area EIS public consultation considered". Merco Press. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  143. Cavcic, Melisa (26 November 2024). "Sea lion's first roar pushed back as costs rise to $1.4 billion for Falkland Islands' oil project". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  144. "The Economy". Falkland Islands Government. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  145. ^ "The Falkland Islands: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know in Data and Charts". The Guardian. 3 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  146. See:
  147. See:
  148. "Internal Flights (FIGAS)". Getting Around the Falkland Islands. Falkland Islands Tourist Board. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  149. Alconada Mon, Hugo (28 March 2022). "Las Islas Malvinas, hoy: más diversas y cosmopolitas, miran a Londres y apuntan a la autodeterminación como país" [Falkland Islands, today: more diverse and cosmopolite, they look to London and aim to self-determination] (in Spanish). La Nación. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  150. ^ Laver 2001, p. 9.
  151. ^ "Falkland Islands Census Statistics, 2006" (PDF). Falkland Islands Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  152. Falkland Islands Government. "Falkland Islands Census 2016" (PDF). Falkland Islands Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  153. See:
  154. Falklands still home to optimists as invasion anniversary nears Archived 5 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, Andy Beckett, 19 March 2012
  155. ^ Minahan 2013, p. 139.
  156. ^ "Falkland Islands Census 2012: Headline results" (PDF). Falkland Islands Government. 10 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  157. "Falklands Referendum: Voters from many countries around the world voted Yes". MercoPress. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  158. Royle 2006, p. 181.
  159. "The Largest Baha'i (sic) Communities (mid-2000)". Adherents.com. September 2001. Archived from the original on 20 October 2001. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  160. "Falkland Islands Census Statistics 2006" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2010.
  161. "The world in muslim populations, every country listed". The Guardian. 8 October 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  162. Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition by J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ABC-CLIO, p. 1093.
  163. ^ "Education". Falkland Islands Government. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  164. ^ Wagstaff 2001, p. 21.
  165. Wagstaff 2001, p. 66.
  166. Wagstaff 2001, pp. 63–64.
  167. Wagstaff 2001, p. 65.
  168. "Falkland Islands". Inside the Games. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  169. "Falkland Islands". International Cricket Council. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.

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Further reading

External links

Places adjacent to Falkland Islands
 Argentina Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean
 Chile
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 Geographic locale

Lat. and Long. 51°42′S 57°51′W / 51.700°S 57.850°W / -51.700; -57.850 (Stanley)

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