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Guide
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. |
| 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 sq
km
land: 12,173 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of East and West
Falkland and about 200 small islands |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than
Connecticut |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental shelf:
200 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
cold marine; strong westerly
winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year;
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, wildlife |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 99%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 1% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
strong winds persist
throughout the year |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Geography
- note: |
deeply indented coast
provides good natural harbors; short growing season |
| Population: |
2,895 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.43% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000 population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 population |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000
population |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Falkland
Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
| Religions: |
primarily Anglican, Roman
Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
| Dependency
status: |
overseas territory of the UK;
also claimed by Argentina |
| 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 Donald LAMONT (since NA May
1999); Chief Executive A. M. GURR (since NA); Financial Secretary D. 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 monarch is hereditary; governor
appointed by the monarch |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Legislative
Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members
serve four-year terms) presided over by the governor
elections: last held 9 October 1997 (next to be held NA
October 2001)
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) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
none; all independents |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International
organization participation: |
ICFTU |
| 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 in
a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms
contains a white ram (sheep raising is 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 |
| 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
Falklands 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. To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands
Development Corporation has built three lodges for visitors attracted by
the abundant wildlife and trout fishing. 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. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $52
million (FY95/96 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
1% (FY95/96 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$19,000 (FY95/96 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
| 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) |
| Labor
force: |
1,100 (est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 95% (mostly
sheepherding and fishing) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
full employment; labor
shortage |
| Budget: |
revenues: $66.2
million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures
of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
| Industries: |
wool and fish processing;
sale of stamps and coins |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
12 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
11.2 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
fodder and vegetable crops;
sheep, dairy products |
| Exports: |
$7.6 million (1995) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
wool, hides, meat |
| Exports
- partners: |
UK, Japan, Chile, NZ |
| Imports: |
$24.7 million (1995) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
fuel, food and drink,
building materials, clothing |
| Imports
- partners: |
UK, Japan, Chile, NZ |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$1.7 million (1995) |
| Currency: |
Falkland pound (FKP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Falkland pounds per US dollar
- 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998),
0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Falkland pound is at par with
the British pound |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
NA |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
NA |
| 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: 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) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
1,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.fk |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total: 440 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 390 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Stanley |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
British Forces Falkland
Islands (includes Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines),
Police Force |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$NA |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA% |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility
of the UK |
| Disputes
- international: |
claimed by Argentina |
|
