Geography

The two main islands in the Falklands group are East Falkland and West Falkland. A waterway called the Falkland Sound runs between them, and about 200 smaller islands are scattered around them. The distance from the eastern to the western end of the group is nearly 150 miles (240 kilometers). The Falklands cover an area of about 4,700 square miles (12,200 square kilometers).

Hills stretch across the northern parts of both main islands. They reach a maximum height of 2,312 feet (705 meters) at Mount Usborne on East Falkland. The small rivers of the islands lie in broad valleys. Both islands have irregular coastlines that provide protected harbors for ships. Stanley is located on East Falkland.

The Falklands have a cool climate. The year-round average temperature is about 42° F (5° C). Cold rains and high winds are common during much of the year. However, the influence of the surrounding sea keeps winter temperatures from staying below the freezing point for long. Snow falls but rarely builds up.

Plants and animals

The Falklands Islands have a rocky terrain with few trees. Grasses cover much of the land. Because the climate is chilly and damp, dead vegetation does not completely decompose, or break down. Instead it accumulates in the ground and forms a material called peat. Peat is dug up, dried out, and burned for fuel.

The Falklands no longer have any native land-dwelling mammals. The last one was the wild fox, which is now extinct. Sea-living mammals and birds are plentiful, however. Seals and sea lions bask on the beaches, while dolphins and some whales swim offshore. Large seabirds such as the black-browed albatross soar overhead. Millions of penguins breed on the islands.

People

The residents of the Falkland Islands are mostly English-speaking descendants of British settlers. Most of them live in Stanley, which is the only town of any size. The countryside outside of Stanley is known as the Camp. The people of the Camp live mostly on isolated farms called sheep stations. British military personnel live at an airfield called Mount Pleasant, not far from Stanley.

Economy

The traditional occupation on the Falkland Islands is sheep farming. Sheep still outnumber people by far more than 200 to 1. The sheep provide wool, meat, and hides. Wool is exported to Britain. In recent decades, however, the most important source of income for the islands has been fishing. The money comes in the form of fees that are paid by foreign companies for the right to fish in nearby waters. Squid make up the bulk of the catch.

Tourism is promoted through regular air service to Britain and South America. Most travel on the islands is by motor vehicle.

History

The known history of the Falkland Islands begins with visits by European explorers. The British explorer John Davis may have spotted the Falklands in 1592. A Dutch navigator named Sebald de Weerdt is thought to have seen them in about 1600. In 1690 the British sea captain John Strong became the first European known to set foot on the Falklands. No one lived on the islands at that time.

The French founded the islands' short-lived first settlement, on East Falkland in 1764. Between 1765 and 1774 the British settled West Falkland, were driven out by the Spanish, reclaimed their territory, and then left on their own. The British did not give up their claim to the Falklands, however.

Argentina claimed the islands in 1820, four years after declaring its own independence from Spain. (Argentina is the South American country closest to the Falklands.) In 1833, however, the British took over the islands. The British appointed a governor for the Falklands in 1841 and made the islands a colony in 1892. By this time almost 1,800 people had settled on the islands.

Argentina never accepted British rule of the Falklands. In the 20th century the dispute was taken to the United Nations. Seventeen years of discussions began in 1965. Then, on April 2, 1982, the Argentines invaded the Falklands. This started the Falkland Islands War. Both sides suffered casualties in the fighting. The war ended with the surrender of the Argentine forces at Stanley on June 14, 1982.

The Falkland Islands today are considered an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. There is a small elected legislature, but the governor is appointed by the British government. Another British island territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, is administered from the Falklands. Population (2001 census), 2,379.