| Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
Flag:
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Map:
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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. |
| Geography and Environmental |
Capital: name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April |
| Area Total: 12,173 sq km |
| Area Land: 12,173 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km |
| Area Note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
| Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut |
| Coastline: 1,288 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 does not accumulate |
| Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains |
| Elevation Extremes Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
| Natural Resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss |
| Land Use Arable Land: 0% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: 0% |
| Land Use 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 1986 Chornobyl disaster |
| Geography Note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season |
| Population |
| Population: 3,105 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: NA |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: NA |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: NA |
| Population Growth Rate: 2.44% (2007 est.) |
| Birth Rate: NA |
| Death Rate: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: NA |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: NA |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: NA |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: NA |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: NA |
| Total Fertility Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: NA |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: NA |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: NA |
| Religions: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist |
| Languages: English |
| Administrative Divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Legal System: English common law |
| 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 help 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 Real Growth Rate: NA% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Agriculture: 95% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Industry: NA% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Services: NA% |
| Labor Force: 1,724 (est.) (1996) |
Labor Force By Occupation: agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
industry and services: 5% |
| Unemployment Rate: full employment; labor shortage (2001) |
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation Rate Consumer Prices: 3.6% (1998) |
| Industries: fish and wool processing; tourism |
| Industrial Production Growth Rate: NA% |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production: 16 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: 100% |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: 14.88 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Exports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Imports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil Production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil Consumption: 230 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Exports: $125 million (2004 est.) |
| Exports Commodities: wool, hides, meat, fish, squid |
| Exports Partners: Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2005) |
| Imports: $90 million (2004 est.) |
| Imports Commodities: fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing |
| Imports Partners: UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands 8.5% (2005) |
| Debt External: $NA |
| Economic Aid Recipient: $0 (1997 est.) |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: 2,400 (2002) |
| TelephonesMobileCellular: 0 (2001) |
| Telephone System General Assessment: NA |
| Telephone System Domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands |
| Telephone System 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 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006) |
| Radios: 1,000 (1997) |
| Television Broadcast Stations: 2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006) |
| Televisions: 1,000 (1997) |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: 2 (2000) |
| Internet Users: 1,900 (2002) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 5 (2006) |
| Military Expenditures Percent Of GDP: NA |
| 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 |