| 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 Argentine
surrender on 14 June 1982. |
| Location: |
Southern South
America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of
southern Argentina |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
51 45 S, 59 00 W |
| Map
references: |
South America |
| Area: |
total:
12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of East and
West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Connecticut |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental
shelf: 200 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
cold marine;
strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more
than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except
in January and February, but does not accumulate |
| Terrain: |
rocky, hilly,
mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
| Natural
resources: |
fish, wildlife |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 99%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 1% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
strong winds
persist throughout the year |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Geography
- note: |
deeply indented
coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season |
| Population: |
2,895 (July 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.43% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000
population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000
population |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000
population |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000
live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children
born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
| Religions: |
primarily
Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist
Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas
Malvinas) |
| Dependency
status: |
overseas
territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina |
| Administrative
divisions: |
none (overseas
territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Independence: |
none (overseas
territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| National
holiday: |
Liberation Day,
14 June (1982) |
| Constitution: |
3 October 1985;
amended 1997 and 1998 |
| Legal
system: |
English common
law |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Donald LAMONT
(since NA May 1999); Chief Executive A. M. GURR (since NA);
Financial Secretary D. F. HOWATT (since NA)
cabinet: Executive Council; three members
elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members
(chief executive and the financial secretary), and the
governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
governor appointed by the monarch |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by
popular vote, members serve four-year terms) presided over
by the governor
elections: last held 9 October 1997 (next to be
held NA October 2001)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats
- independents 8 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
(chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior
magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none; all
independents |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International
organization participation: |
ICFTU |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (overseas
territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (overseas
territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Flag
description: |
blue with the
flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the
Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the
outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white
ram (sheep raising is 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 |
| Economy
- overview: |
The economy was
formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but
today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In
1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to
foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive
fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million
per year, which goes to support the island's health,
education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the
fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption;
crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of
high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and
coins. To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands
Development Corporation has built three lodges for visitors
attracted by the abundant wildlife and trout fishing. The
islands are now self-financing except for defense. The
British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil
exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early
seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of
producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable
site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and
the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty
conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting
potential oil reserves. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $52 million (FY95/96 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
1% (FY95/96 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $19,000 (FY95/96 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3.6% (1998) |
| Labor
force: |
1,100 (est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 95%
(mostly sheepherding and fishing) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
full employment;
labor shortage |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital
expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
| Industries: |
wool and fish
processing; sale of stamps and coins |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
12 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
11.2 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
fodder and
vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products |
| Exports: |
$7.6 million
(1995) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
wool, hides, meat |
| Exports
- partners: |
UK, Japan, Chile,
NZ |
| Imports: |
$24.7 million
(1995) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
fuel, food and
drink, building materials, clothing |
| Imports
- partners: |
UK, Japan, Chile,
NZ |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$1.7 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Falkland pound (FKP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Falkland pounds
per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180
(1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note -
the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31
March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
NA |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
NA |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone
and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective
service to almost all points on both islands
international: satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
countries |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 7,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (operated by
the British Forces Broadcasting Service) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
1,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.fk |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
440 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 390 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Stanley |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
3
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
British Forces
Falkland Islands (includes Army, Royal Air Force, Royal
Navy, and Royal Marines), Police Force |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$NA |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA% |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of the UK |
| Disputes
- international: |
claimed by
Argentina |
|
