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The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic consisting of two main islands known as East Falkland and West Falkland and a number of smaller islands. The capital Port Stanley is on East Falkland.
Sovereignty of the islands is also claimed by Argentina where the islands are known by their name in Spanish, Islas Malvinas. This name comes from the French, Iles Malouines, so-called from when the islands were briefly occupied by fishermen from St Malo. The Falkland Islands are listed by the United Nations Committee on Decolonisation as one of the 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories of the world.
History Main article: History of the Falkland Islands
Several claims have been made that numerous navigators have sighted the Falkland Islands for the first time but the Dutch sailor Sebald de Weert has been credited with the first sighting in 1600, though the British and Spanish maintain their own respective explorers discovered the islands earlier. Some older maps, particularly Dutch ones, used the name 'Sebald Islands' for a while. The history of exploration is as follows:
1504: Amerigo Vespucci (Florence). 1540: Ferdinand Camargo (Spain). 1592: John Davis (England). 1593: Richard Hawkins (England). 1600: Sebald de Weert (Netherlands). 1684: Cowley & Dampier (England) discovered Pepys Island, renamed South Georgia by James Cook in 1775. 1690: John Strong (England). 1701: Gouin de Beauchesne (France). 1708: Roger Woodes (Great Britain). 1740: George Anson (Great Britain).
In the eighteenth century, Louis de Bougainville (France) founded a naval base at Port Louis, East Falkland in 1764. Ignorant of de Bougaiville's presence, John Byron (Great Britain) established a base at Port Egmont, West Falkland in 1765. In 1766, France sold its base to Spain. Spain declared war on (Great Britain). in 1770 in a fight over the islands but the dispute was settled the following year, with Spain retaining East Falkland and Great Britain West Falkland. The United Kingdom tried to capture Buenos Aires in 1806 and 1807, failing in both cases. They remained practically unsettled until the 19th century. Argentina set up a penal colony in the islands in 1820, and in 1829 named Luis Vernet as the islands' governor, in order to colonise them. The United Kingdom retook the islands in 1833, but Argentina maintained its claim. Various tensions led to an Argentine invasion in 1982. The islands were later retaken by the UK. See: Falklands War.
No native people lived in the islands when the Europeans arrived, although there is some disputed evidence for earlier human visits. The most convincing of these is the Warrah (Canis antarcticus/Dusicyon australis), possibly descended from South American culpeo (used as hunting dogs by Yaghan people of Tierra del Fuego). Now extinct, the warrah was a great nuisance towards early livestock. It is very unlikely that it reached the islands by itself.
Politics Main article: Politics of the Falkland Islands
Executive authority comes from the Queen and is exercised by the governor on her behalf. Defence is the responsibility of the UK. There is a constitution, which was put into force in 1985. Under the constitution, eight Legislative Councillors, five from Stanley and three from Camp, are elected every four years.
The Executive Council, which advises the Governor, consists of the Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and three Legislative Councillors, which are elected by the other Legislative Councillors. Executive concil is chaired by the GovernorThe Legislative Council consists of Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and the eight Legislative Councillors. Legislative council is presided over by the Speaker of the House, currently Mr LG Blake.
The loss of the war against Britain over control of the islands led to the collapse of the Argentine military dictatorship in 1983. Disputes over control of the islands still continue. In 2001, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was the first to visit Argentina since the war. On the 22nd anniversary of the war, Argentina’s President Néstor Kirchner gave a speech insisting that the islands would once again be part of Argentina. Kirchner, since becoming president in 2003, has made the islands a top priority. In June 2003 the issue was brought before a United Nations committee, and attempts have been made to open talks with Britain to resolve the issue of the islands. Falkland Islanders themselves continue to view themselves as British.
Map of the Falkland Islands
Geography Main article: Geography of the Falkland Islands
The islands are 300 miles (483 km) from the South American mainland.There are two main islands, East Falkland (Soledad) and West Falkland (Gran Malvina) and about 700 small islands. The total land area is 12,173 km².
Islanders themselves talk about two main areas of the islands, namely Stanley and the rest which they nickname "the Camp", from the Spanish "campo" meaning "countryside".
Economy Main article: Economy of the Falkland Islands
The largest industries are fishing and agriculture. The islands have oil reserves that are believed to be quite substantial, but yet to be exploited
Demographics Main article: Demographics of the Falkland Islands
The population is 2,967 (July 2003 estimated).
Islanders call themselves "Islanders". Outsiders often call Islanders "Kelpers", from the kelp, which grows profusely around the islands, but the name is not used in the Islands any more. The word kelper is used in Argentina with the meaning of second-class citizens as a reflection on the legal status of the islanders within the UK prior to the passing of the Nationality Act of 1983.
Culture Main article: Culture of the Falkland Islands
Miscellaneous topics
See also
External links
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