Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2008) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products; fish, squid | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
Airports | 6 (2007) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2007) |
- |
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: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | about 24 times the size of The Mall in 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 an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. |
Birth rate | NA | NA |
Budget | revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million (FY98/99 est.) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA |
Capital | name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April |
West Island |
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 with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 26 km |
Constitution | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1953) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Death rate | NA | NA |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $0 (1997 est.) | NA |
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 Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help 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. | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. |
Electricity - consumption | 14.88 million kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | 16 million kWh (2005) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 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 1986 Chornobyl disaster | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
Ethnic groups | British | Europeans, Cocos Malays |
Exchange rates | Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)
note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound |
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since March 2003); note - Dr. Tim THOROGOOD will assume the position of Chief Executive in January 2008 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), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | NA |
Exports - commodities | wool, hides, meat, fish, squid | copra |
Exports - partners | Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2006) | Australia |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
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 was once 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 | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 95%
industry: NA% services: NA% (1996) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 51 45 S, 59 00 W | 12 30 S, 96 50 E |
Geography - note | deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
Highways | - | total: 15 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Imports | 227.9 bbl/day (2004) | NA |
Imports - commodities | fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing | foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands 8.5% (2006) | Australia |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | fish and wool processing; tourism | copra products and tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (1998) | - |
International organization participation | ICFTU, UPU | none |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
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; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 1,724 (est.) (1996) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
industry and services: 5% (1996) |
the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | English | Malay (Cocos dialect), English |
Legal system | English common law | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8 |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | NA | - |
Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
Map references | South America | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have a five-person police force |
Military branches | no regular military forces | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
Natural hazards | strong winds persist throughout the year | cyclone season is October to April |
Natural resources | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss | fish |
Net migration rate | NA | NA |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 3,105 (July 2007 est.) | 628 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 2.44% (2007 est.) | 0% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Port Refuge |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries |
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,400 (2002) | 287 (1992) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (2001) | note - analog cellular service available |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006) | NA |
Terrain | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains | flat, low-lying coral atolls |
Total fertility rate | NA | NA |
Unemployment rate | full employment; labor shortage (2001) | 60% (2000 est.) |