Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

South America Stanley

Population

3.1K

Area

12,173 km²

GDP

$206.40M

GDP Per Capita

$70,800

Quick Facts

Currency

£Falkland Islands pound(FKP)

Calling Code

+500

Timezone

UTC-04:00

Languages

English

Driving Side

left

Demonym

Falkland Islander

Map of Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

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 in 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed. In response to renewed calls from Argentina for Britain to relinquish control of the islands, a referendum was held in 2013 that resulted in 99.8% of the population voting to remain a part of the UK.

Geography17

Location

Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references

South America

Area

total : 12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

1,288 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate

cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 60 cm in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate

Terrain

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation

highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use

agricultural land

93.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 93.2% (2023 est.)

forest

0% (2022 est.)

other

6.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

Population distribution

a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley

Natural hazards

strong winds persist throughout the year

Geography - note

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

People & Society17

Population

total: 3,142 (2021)
male: 1,645
female: 1,497

Nationality

noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups

Falkland Islander 48.3%, British 23.1%, St. Helenian 7.5%, Chilean 4.6%, mixed 6%, other 8.5%, unspecified 2% (2016 est.)

Languages

English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)

Religions

Christian 57.1%, other 1.6%, none 35.4%, unspecified 6% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 38.4 (2021)
youth dependency ratio: 21.8 (2021)
elderly dependency ratio: 16.6 (2021)
potential support ratio: 6 (2021)

Population growth rate

0.01% (2014 est.)

Birth rate

10.9 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Population distribution

a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley

Urbanization

urban population: 79.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2,000 STANLEY (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: (2017 est.) 77.9
male: 75.6
female: 79.6

Drinking water source

improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 21.8% of population

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

47.7% (2016 est.)

Government22

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
etymology: the archipelago takes its name from the Falkland Sound, the strait separating the two main islands; the channel was named after the Fifth Viscount of FALKLAND, who sponsored an expedition to the islands in 1690; the Spanish name for the archipelago derives from the French "Iles Malouines," meaning Islands of Malo, the name French explorer Louis-Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE gave the islands in 1764 in honor of the French port of Saint-Malo

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Capital

name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W
time difference: UTC-3 (2 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named in 1844 after Edward SMITH-STANLEY, the 14th Earl of Derby

Legal system

English common law and local statutes

Constitution

history: previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Colin MARTIN-REYNOLDS (since 29 July 2025)
head of government: Chief Executive Andrea Patricia CLAUSEN (since 1 April 2025)
cabinet: Executive Council elected by the Legislative Council
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; monarch appoints the governor, who appoints the chief executive

Legislative branch

legislature name

Legislative Assembly

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

10 (8 directly elected, 2 appointed)

electoral system

plurality/majority

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

most recent election date

12/11/2025

percentage of women in chamber

25% note: does not include the speaker

expected date of next election

November 2025

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, the chief justice as an ex officio non-resident member, and 2 justices of appeal); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice, court of appeal president, and justices appointed by the governor; tenure specified in each justice's instrument of appointment
subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties

none; all independents

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (administered by the UK; claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (administered by the UK; claimed by Argentina)

International organization participation

UPU

Independence

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

National holiday

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Flag

description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a white ram above the ship "Desire" (whose crew discovered the islands), with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

National symbol(s)

ram

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National coat of arms

the Falkland Islands adopted its coat of arms in 1948; the shield highlights the national symbol, the ram, which represents the country’s agricultural industry and stands on native tussock grass; English navigator John Davis’s sailing vessel, the Desire, is shown, referencing his sighting of the islands in 1592; below the shield is the national motto, “Desire the Right”

National anthem(s)

title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: official anthem, as a UK territory

Economy10

Economic overview

British South American territorial economy; longstanding fishing industry; surging tourism prior to COVID-19 and Brexit; recent offshore hydrocarbon discoveries threaten ecotourism industries; no central bank and must have British approval on currency shifts

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2015: $70,800 (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2014: $63,000 (2014 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$206.4 million (2015 est.)

Agricultural products

fodder and vegetable crops; venison, sheep, dairy products; fish, squid

Industries

fish and wool processing; tourism

Exports - partners

Spain 68%, Morocco 10%, USA 8%, Namibia 3%, Germany 2% (2023)

Exports - commodities

shellfish, fish, wool, sheep and goat meat (2023)

Imports - partners

UK 68%, Greece 19%, Spain 11%, Netherlands 1%, NZ 0% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, aircraft parts, prefabricated buildings, plastic products, surveying equipment (2023)

Exchange rates

Currency

Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

0.78 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.805 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.811 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.727 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.78 (2020 est.)

Energy3

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 10,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 18.257 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 900,000 kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 73.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 26.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 6,420 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 184 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

TV service provided by a multi-channel service provider; radio provided by public broadcaster Falkland Islands Radio Service and the British Forces Broadcasting Service  (2007)

Internet country code

.fk

Internet users

percent of population: 99% (2021 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)

Transportation4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VP-F

Airports

34 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 2 (2023)
by type: general cargo 1, other 1

Ports

total ports

1 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Stanley

Military & Security2

Military and security forces

no regular military forces

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK, which maintains a military presence on the islands

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