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 With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed.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

Location

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina

Natural Resources

fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Population - distribution

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

English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)
STANLEY (capital) 2,000 (2014)
Conventional long form
none
Conventional short form
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Local long form
Local short form
parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
Name
Stanley
Geographic coordinates
51 42 S, 57 51 W
Time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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 $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. The waters around the Falkland Islands are known for their squid, which account for around 75% of the annual 200,000-ton catch.
Inflation
None%
Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
None%
Real Interest Rate
None%
Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
None%
Current Account Balance
US$
Labor Force, Total
Employment in Agriculture
%
Employment in Industry
%
Employment in Services
%
Unemployment Rate
%
Imports of goods and services
US$
Exports of goods and services
US$
Total Merchandise Trade
%
FDI, net inflows
US$
Commercial Service Exports
US$
fodder and vegetable crops; venison, sheep, dairy products; fish, squid
fish and wool processing; tourism
Commodities
wool, hides, meat, venison, fish, squid
Partners
Commodities
fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
Partners
Country Risk Rating
Business Climate Rating

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