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 in 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force 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 With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed.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 2013 that resulted in 99.8% of the population voting to remain a part of the UK.

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
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 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 60 cm 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
Highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 93.2% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0% (2022 est.)
Permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
Permanent pasture: 93.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 0% (2022 est.)
Other: 6.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year

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

Population
Total: 3,142 (2021)
Male: 1,645
Female: 1,497
Note: data include all persons usually resident in the islands at the time of the 2021 census
Distribution: a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley
Growth rate: 0.01% (2014 est.)

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

Religions: Christian 57.1%, other 1.6%, none 35.4%, unspecified 6% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 38.4 (2021)
Youth dependency ratio: 21.8 (2021)
Elderly dependency ratio: 16.6 (2021)
Potential support ratio: 6 (2021)

Population growth rate: 0.01% (2014 est.)

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

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

Population distribution: a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley

Urbanization
Urban population: 79.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2,000 STANLEY (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio
Total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: (2017 est.) 77.9
Male: 75.6
Female: 79.6

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 21.8% of population

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Capital
Name: Stanley
Geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W
Time difference: UTC-3 (2 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named in 1844 after Edward SMITH-STANLEY, the 14th Earl of Derby

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

Executive branch
Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Alison BLAKE (since 23 July 2022)
Head of government: Chief Executive Andy KEELING (since April 2021)
Cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Legislative Council
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; monarch appoints the governor, who appoints the chief executive

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Legislative Assembly
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 10 (8 directly elected, 2 appointed)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 12/11/2025
Percentage of women in chamber: 25% note: does not include the speaker
Expected date of next election: November 2025

Flag description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a white ram above the ship 'Desire' (whose crew discovered the islands), with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: official anthem, as a UK territory

Industries: fish and wool processing; tourism

Exports
Commodities: shellfish, fish, wool, sheep and goat meat (2023)
Commodities note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, aircraft parts, prefabricated buildings, plastic products, surveying equipment (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 10,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 18.257 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 900,000 kWh (2023 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 73.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 26.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 36,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 36,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 6,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 160 (2021 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 99% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1,000 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)

Airports: 34 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 2 (2023)
By type: general cargo 1, other 1