Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2003) | Norway (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | 19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: 19.3% (male 455,122/female 434,009)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,542,439/female 1,496,745) 65 years and over: 14.8% (male 288,509/female 393,996) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish |
Airports | 5 (2002) | 99 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 67
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 29 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
total: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 26 (2006) |
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: 323,802 sq km
land: 307,442 sq km water: 16,360 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly larger than New Mexico |
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. | Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 11.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
revenues: $176.1 billion
expenditures: $131.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | Stanley | name: Oslo
geographic coordinates: 59 55 N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
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 | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km) |
Constitution | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 | 17 May 1814; amended many times |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge |
Currency | Falkland pound (FKP) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $281 billion; note - Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2005) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina | - |
Dependent areas | - | Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY
embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note - the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63, 56 27 51 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco |
Disputes - international | claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force | Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.4 billion (1998) |
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. | The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000, natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil and gas revenues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-and-gas-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250 billion. After lackluster growth of 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003, GDP growth picked up to 3.3% in 2004 and to 3.7% in 2005. |
Electricity - consumption | 15.19 million kWh (2001) | 106.1 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 5.6 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 13.5 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 16.33 million kWh (2001) | 105.6 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 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 | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | British | Norwegian, Sami 20,000 |
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 | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001) |
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: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament |
Exports | NA (2001) | 3.466 million bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | wool, hides, meat | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish |
Exports - partners | Spain 76.2%, UK 9.2%, US 7.1% (2002) | UK 25.5%, Germany 12.6%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.1%, US 6.7%, Sweden 6.5% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 | red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 41.5% services: 56.4% (2005 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 4% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 51 45 S, 59 00 W | 62 00 N, 10 00 E |
Geography - note | deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season | about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world |
Heliports | - | 1 (2006) |
Highways | total: 440 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 4.1%
highest 10%: 21.8% (1995) |
Imports | NA (2001) | 88,870 bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | UK 57.9%, Spain 19.8%, Italy 16.7% (2002) | Sweden 14.6%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.8%, China 5.5%, US 5%, France 4% (2005) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | -0.5% (2005 est.) |
Industries | fish and wool processing; tourism | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
total: 3.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (1998) | 1.6% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | ICFTU | AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,270 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 1,100 (est.) | 2.4 million (2005 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) | agriculture: 4%
industry: 22% services: 74% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.7%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.3% (2005) |
Languages | English | Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official in six municipalities |
Legal system | English common law | mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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 |
modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10 note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 79.54 years
male: 76.91 years female: 82.31 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% |
Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden |
Map references | South America | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 724 ships (1000 GRT or over) 14,472,103 GRT/20,245,353 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 67, cargo 153, chemical tanker 150, container 2, liquefied gas 79, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 75, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 19, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 47 foreign-owned: 168 (China 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 32, Estonia 1, Finland 4, Greece 1, Hong Kong 55, Iceland 4, Italy 4, Japan 1, Lithuania 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 3, Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Sweden 28, UAE 1, UK 6, US 13) registered in other countries: 861 (Antigua and Barbuda 11, Australia 1, Bahamas 259, Barbados 29, Belize 2, Bermuda 5, Brazil 2, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 2, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 16, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 12, Gibraltar 18, Hong Kong 26, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 27, Liberia 38, Libya 1, Malta 49, Marshall Islands 65, Mexico 1, Netherlands 7, Netherlands Antilles 5, Nigeria 1, Panama 66, Philippines 3, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 90, Spain 7, Sweden 7, Thailand 30, Tonga 1, UK 36, US 2, unknown 2) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police Force | Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Heimevernet, HV) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $4,033.5 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 1.9% (2003) |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) |
Nationality | noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
Natural hazards | strong winds persist throughout the year | rockslides, avalanches |
Natural resources | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | - | condensate 508 km; gas 5,910 km; oil 2,557 km; oil/gas/water 746 km (2006) |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv JENSEN]; Red Electoral Alliance [Torstein DAHLE]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 2,967 (July 2003 est.) | 4,610,820 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.44% (2003 est.) | 0.38% (2006 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 |
- |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 4,077 km
standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,680 km electrified) (2005) |
Religions | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist | Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed-wire systems international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 2.129 million (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 4.755 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002) |
360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.78 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | full employment; labor shortage | 4.6% (2005 est.) |
Waterways | none | 1,577 km (2002) |