Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2003) | British Indian Ocean Territory (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
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Agriculture - products | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products | - |
Airports | 5 (2002) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
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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 |
total:
60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier resident in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | - |
Budget | revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
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Capital | Stanley | - |
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 | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 698 km |
Constitution | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
conventional long form:
British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
Currency | Falkland pound (FKP) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force | the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius and Seychelles |
Economic aid - recipient | none | - |
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. 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. | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. |
Electricity - consumption | 15.19 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 16.33 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
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 Chornobyl disaster | NA |
Ethnic groups | British | - |
Exchange rates | Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound | - |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek 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 monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
Exports | NA (2001) | - |
Exports - commodities | wool, hides, meat | - |
Exports - partners | Spain 76.2%, UK 9.2%, US 7.1% (2002) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | - |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms 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 | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 51 45 S, 59 00 W | 6 00 S, 71 30 E |
Geography - note | deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season | archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility |
Highways | total: 440 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002) |
total:
NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Imports | NA (2001) | - |
Imports - commodities | fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing | - |
Imports - partners | UK 57.9%, Spain 19.8%, Italy 16.7% (2002) | - |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fish and wool processing; tourism | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
- |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (1998) | - |
International organization participation | ICFTU | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction | - |
Labor force | 1,100 (est.) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | English | - |
Legal system | English common law | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
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 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
- |
Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina | Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia |
Map references | South America | World |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 |
Military branches | British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) | - |
Nationality | noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
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Natural hazards | strong winds persist throughout the year | NA |
Natural resources | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss | coconuts, fish, sugarcane |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | - |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 2,967 (July 2003 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 1995, there were approximately 1,700 UK and US military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 2.44% (2003 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Stanley
note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300 meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after 1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988 |
Diego Garcia |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist | - |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
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 |
general assessment:
separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002) |
1 (1997) |
Terrain | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains | flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | - |
Unemployment rate | full employment; labor shortage | - |
Waterways | none | none |