Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2001)

The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

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.

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.)

Capital

-

Stanley

Climate

tropical

cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Coastline

518 km

1,288 km

Constitution

-

3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Paracel Islands

conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

-

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation in the US

-

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Disputes - international

occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

claimed by Argentina

Economic aid - recipient

-

$1.7 million (1995)

Economy - overview

China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

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. To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands Development Corporation has built three lodges for visitors attracted by the abundant wildlife and trout fishing. 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.

Electricity - consumption

-

11.2 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

-

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

-

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

-

12 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

-

fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Usborne 705 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

-

British

Exchange rates

-

Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); 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 Donald LAMONT (since NA May 1999); Chief Executive A. M. GURR (since NA); Financial Secretary D. 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 monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch

Exports

-

$7.6 million (1995)

Exports - commodities

-

wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners

-

UK, Japan, Chile, NZ

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 in a white disk 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

GDP

-

purchasing power parity - $52 million (FY95/96 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

-

agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
NA%

GDP - per capita

-

purchasing power parity - $19,000 (FY95/96 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-

1% (FY95/96 est.)

Geographic coordinates

16 30 N, 112 00 E

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Geography - note

composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

Highways

-

total:
440 km

paved:
50 km

unpaved:
390 km

Household income or consumption by percentage share

-

lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%

Imports

-

$24.7 million (1995)

Imports - commodities

-

fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners

-

UK, Japan, Chile, NZ

Independence

-

none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Industrial production growth rate

-

NA%

Industries

-

wool and fish processing; sale of stamps and coins

Infant mortality rate

-

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

3.6% (1998)

International organization participation

-

ICFTU

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

-

2 (2000)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1998 est.)

NA sq km

Judicial branch

-

Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions)

Labor force

-

1,100 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation

-

agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (1998 est.)

arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
99%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
1% (1993 est.)

Languages

-

English

Legal system

-

English common law

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 9 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2001)

election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8

Life expectancy at birth

-

total population:
NA years

male:
NA years

female:
NA years

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

South America

Maritime claims

NA

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM

Merchant marine

-

none (2000 est.)

Military - note

occupied by China

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

-

British Forces Falkland Islands (includes Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines), 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

Natural hazards

typhoons

strong winds persist throughout the year

Natural resources

none

fish, wildlife

Net migration rate

-

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Political parties and leaders

-

none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders

-

none

Population

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)

2,895 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

2.43% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Stanley

Radio broadcast stations

-

AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

-

1,000 (1997)

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

Telephones - main lines in use

-

NA

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

NA

Television broadcast stations

-

2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) (1997)

Terrain

mostly low and flat

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains