Map of Falkland Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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 With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn UK administration resumed.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.


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Location: Southern South America islands in the South Atlantic Ocean east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S 59 00 W

Map reference

Area
Rank: 165
Land: 12,173 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1288 km

Maritime claims
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 typically does not accumulate

Terrain: rocky hilly mountainous with some boggy undulating plains

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish squid wildlife calcified seaweed sphagnum moss

Land use
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (99% permanent pastures 1% other) (2011)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year

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


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Population: 3,140 (July 2008 est.)
Rank: 232
Growth rate: 0.01% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 192
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups: British

Languages: English

Religions: Christian 67.2% none 31.5% other 1.3% (2006 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2009 est.)
Rank: 192

Birth rate: NA

Death rate

Net migration rate: NA

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: STANLEY (capital) 2000 (2009)

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 1986 Chornobyl disaster

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Male: NA
Female: NA

Life expectancy at birth
Male: NA
Female: NA

Total fertility rate: NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Government type: NA

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 51 42 S 57 51 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr observed all year in 2013

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

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Liberation Day 14 June (1982)

Constitution: previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (2011)

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Governor Nigel HAYWOOD (since 16 October 2010) is the Queen's representative; Chief Executive Keith PADGETT (since 1 February 2012)
Cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary) and the governor; the governor must obey the rulings of the Executive Council on domestic affairs
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief executive appointed by the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; members to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
Elections: last held on 5 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8

Judicial branch: 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

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
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

National symbols: ram

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Christopher LANHAM

National heritage


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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 sizeable 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $105.1 million (2002 est.)
Rank: 222

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita: $55,400 (2002 est.)
Rank: 9

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: NA%
Services: NA% (1996)

Agriculture products: fodder and vegetable crops; venison sheep dairy products; fish squid

Industries: fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 5,246 (2006)
Rank: 221
By occupation industry and services: 5% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2010)
Rank: 33

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Expenditures: $75.3 million (FY09/10)
Surplus or deficit: -5% of GDP (FY09/10)
Surplus or deficit rank: 167

Taxes and other revenues: 40.8% of GDP (FY09/10)
Rank: 41

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.6% (1998)
Rank: 19

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $125 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 188
Commodities: wool hides meat venison fish squid

Imports: $90 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 214
Commodities: fuel food and drink building materials clothing

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 19 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 214
Consumption: 17.67 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 214
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 195
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 186
Installed generating capacity: 10,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 203
Generation sources fossil fuels: 90% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 74
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 87
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 168
Generation sources other renewable sources: 10% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 26

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 169
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 113
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 185
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 131

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 175
Products consumption: 300 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 208
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 174
Products imports: 312.5 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 207

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 131
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 143
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 100
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 192
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 138

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 45,740 Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 209

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1980 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 218
Mobile cellular: 3,450 (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 216

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

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
Hosts: 110 (2012)
Hosts rank: 206
Users: 2,900 (2009)
Users rank: 209

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 (2013)
Rank: 170
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways: 5 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Rank: 198
Paved: 50 km
Unpaved: 390 km (2008)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs