2015 Edition

Background

Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed. In response to renewed calls from Argentina for Britain to relinquish control of the islands, a referendum was held in March 2013, which resulted in 99.8% of the population voting to remain a part of the UK.

Area

land

12,173 sq km

note

includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

total

12,173 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate

cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 60 cm in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate

Coastline

1,288 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Usborne 705 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer - introduced to the islands in 2001 from South Georgia - are part of a farming effort to produce specialty meat and diversify the islands' economy; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster

Geographic coordinates

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Geography - note

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 92.4%

agricultural land

92.4%

forest

0%

other

7.6% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

strong winds persist throughout the year

Natural resources

fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Terrain

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Birth rate

10.9 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Ethnic groups

Falkland Islander 57%, British 24.6%, St. Helenian 9.8%, Chilean 5.3%, other 3.4% (2012 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

NA

male

NA

total

NA

Languages

English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.6 (2012 est.)

male

75.6

total population

77.9

Major urban areas - population

STANLEY (capital) 2,000 (2014)

Nationality

adjective

Falkland Island

noun

Falkland Islander(s)

Net migration rate

NA

Population

2,931 (2014 est.)

Population growth rate

0.01% (2014 est.)

Religions

Christian 66%, none 32%, other 2% (2012 est.)

Sex ratio

note

sex ratio is somewhat skewed by the high proportion of males at the Royal Air Force station, Mount Pleasant Airport (MPA); excluding MPA, the sex ratio of the total population would be 1.01 (2012 est.)

total population

1.11 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

NA

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.96% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

76.2% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Capital

geographic coordinates

51 42 S, 57 51 W

name

Stanley

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (2015)

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

etymology

the archipelago takes its name from the Falkland Sound, the strait separating the two main islands; the channel itself was named after the Viscount of Falkland who sponsored an expedition to the islands in 1690; the Spanish name for the archipelago derives from the French "Iles Malouines," the name applied to the islands by French explorer Louis-Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE in 1764

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council elected by the Legislative Council

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Colin ROBERTS (since 28 April 2014)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief executive appointed by the governor

head of government

Chief Executive Keith PADGETT (since 1 February 2012)

Flag description

blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

International organization participation

UPU

Judicial branch

highest resident court(s)

Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, the chief justice as an ex officio, non-resident member, and 2 justices of appeal); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office

all justices appointed by the governor; tenure specified in each justice's instrument of appointment

subordinate courts

Magistrate's Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Legal system

English common law and local statutes

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Legislative Assembly, formerly the Legislative Council (10 seats; 8 members directly elected by majority vote and 2 appointed ex officio members - the chief executive, appointed by the governor, and the financial secretary; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 8

elections

last held on 7 November 2013 (next to be held in November 2017)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Christopher LANHAM

name

"Song of the Falklands""

note

adopted 1930s; the song is the local unofficial anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

National symbol(s)

ram

Political parties and leaders

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

fodder and vegetable crops; venison, sheep, dairy products; fish, squid

Budget

expenditures

$75.3 million (FY09/10)

revenues

$67.1 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5% of GDP (FY09/10)

Debt - external

$NA

Economy - overview

The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but fishing and tourism currently comprise the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees net more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. The waters around the Falkland Islands are known for their squid, which account for around 75% of the annual 200,000 ton fish catch. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Foreign exchange earnings come from shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and from the sale of postage stamps and coins. In 2001, the government purchased 100 reindeer with the intent to increase the number to 10,000 over the following 20 years so that venison could be exported to Scandinavia and Chile. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 69,000 visitors in 2009. The British military presence also provides a sizable economic boost. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. In 1993 the British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day. Political tensions between the UK and Argentina remain high following the start of oil drilling activities in the waters. In September 2011, a British exploration firm announced that it plans to commence oil production in 2016.

Exchange rates

Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar -

0.607 (2014)

0.6391 (2013)

0.63 (2012)

0.624 (2011)

0.6472 (2010)

Exports

$125 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

wool, hides, meat, venison, fish, squid

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

95%

industry

NA%

services

NA% (1996)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$55,400 (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$164.5 million (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$164.5 million (2007 est.)

$105.1 million (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$90 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fish and wool processing; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.2% (2003)

Labor force

1,944 (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

industry and services

5% (1996)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

40.8% of GDP (FY09/10)

Unemployment rate

4.1% (2010)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

45,570 Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

11.16 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

90% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

10% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

10,000 kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

12 million kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

300 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

312.5 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

TV service provided by a multi-channel service provider; radio services provided by the public broadcaster, Falkland Islands Radio Service, broadcasting on both AM and FM frequencies, and by the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) (2007)

Internet country code

.fk

Internet users

percent of population

92.4% (2009)

total

2,900

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006)

Telephone system

domestic

government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands

international

country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

66 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

2,100

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2014 est.)

total

4,200

Television broadcast stations

2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006)

Airports

7 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

5 (2013)

total

5

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Stanley

Roadways

paved

50 km

total

440 km

unpaved

390 km (2008)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

no regular military forces

Disputes - international

Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks