Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

§1. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Introduction

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.

§2. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Geography

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 km²
  land: 12,173 km²
  water: 0 km²
  note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200
    small islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,288 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than
  half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley;
  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, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:
  overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to
  the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial
  reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:
  deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

§3. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) People

Population:
  2,967 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.44% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Falkland Islander(s)
  adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:
  British

Religions:
  primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church,
  Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  NA

§4. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Stanley

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 Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief
    Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek 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 monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the
    monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - two ex officio, eight elected by
  popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
  elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)
  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); Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ICFTU, UPU

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 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

§5. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Economy

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 Falkland Islands' 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. 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.
  Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000
  visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money
  the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides
  a sizeable economic boost.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $75 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $25,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 95%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Labor force:
  1,100 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

Unemployment rate:
  full employment; labor shortage (2001)

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)

Budget:
  revenues: $66.2 million
  expenditures: $67.9 million; including capital expenditures of $23.2
    million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Industries:
  fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  22.23 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  20.68 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  200 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $125 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners:
  Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $90 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners:
  UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $0 (1997 est.)

Currency (code):
  Falkland pound (FKP)

Exchange rates:
  Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001)
  note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

§6. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2001)

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: country code - 500; 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)
  note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Internet country code:
  .fk

Internet hosts:
  103 (2005)

Internet users:
  1,900 (2002)

§7. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Transportation

Airports:
  5 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 440 km
  paved: 50 km
  unpaved: 390 km (2003)

Ports and terminals:
  Stanley

§8. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Military

Military branches:
  no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

§9. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Transnational Issues

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


<Factbook 2006>
