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 With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn UK administration resumed.

Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S 59 00 W

Area
Rank: 165
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1288 km

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

Natural resources: fish squid wildlife calcified seaweed sphagnum moss

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year

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

Population: 3,140 (July 2008 est.)
Rank: 231
Growth rate: 0.011% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 187
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: British

Languages: English

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

Population growth rate: 0.011% (2009 est.)
Rank: 187

Birth rate: NA

Death rate: NA

Net migration rate: NA

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

Total fertility rate: NA

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy: NA

Government type: NA

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: 1 January 2009

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

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 Falkland could export venison 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: 219

Real gdp per capita: $55,400 (2002 est.)
Rank: 8

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 5,246 (2006)
Rank: 220

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2010)
Rank: 35

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -5% of GDP (FY09/10)
Surplus or deficit rank: 157

Taxes and other revenues: 40.8% of GDP (FY09/10)
Rank: 49

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3.6% (1998)
Rank: 15

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

Imports: $90 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 212
Commodities: fuel food and drink building materials clothing

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 19 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 214
Consumption: 17.67 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 214
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 194
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 186
Installed generating capacity: 10,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 204
Generation sources fossil fuels: 90% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 77
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 89
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 170
Generation sources other renewable sources: 10% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 23

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 135
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 113
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 184
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 133

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 147
Products consumption: 300 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 210
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 177
Products imports: 312.5 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 204

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 130
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 144
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 197
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 195
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 138

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 45,780 Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 206

Telephones
Main lines in use: 2000 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 217
Mobile cellular: 3,300 (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 215

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: 207
Users: 2,900 (2009)
Users rank: 209

Military expenditures: NA

Airports: 7 (2012)
Rank: 167

Roadways
Rank: 198

Ports and terminals: Stanley

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