Falkland Islands

Falkland Islands
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Desire the Right"
Anthem: God Save the King  (official) Song of the Falklands [a]
Location of the Falkland Islands.
Capital and largest city	Stanley 51°42′S 57°51′W / 51.700°S 57.850°W / -51.700; -57.850
Official languages	English
Demonym(s)	Falkland Islander
Government	British Overseas Territory[b]
• Monarch	Charles III
• Governor	Nigel Haywood
• Chief Executive	Andy Keeling
• Responsible Minister (UK)	Vacant
Legislature	Legislative Assembly
Establishment
• British rule re-established	1833
• Crown Colony	1841
• British Dependent Territory	1981[c]
• British Overseas Territory	2002
• Current constitution	2009
Area
• Total	12,173 km2 (4,700 sq mi) (162nd)
• Water (%)	0
Population
• 2012 estimate	2,932[1] (220th)
• Density	0.26/km2 (0.7/sq mi) (241st)
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$75 million (223rd)
• Per capita	$55,400[2] (7th)
Currency	Falkland Islands pound[d] (FKP)
Time zone	UTC−3 (FKST[e])
Driving side	left
Calling code	500
ISO 3166 code	FK
Internet TLD	.fk
^ Song of the Falklands is used as the islands' anthem at sporting events. ^ Parliamentary democratic dependency under constitutional monarchy. ^ Interrupted by Argentine military government in 1982. ^ Fixed to the Pound sterling (GBP). ^ The Falklands has been on FKST year-round since September 2010.[3]

The Falkland Islands are a group of islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of South America. They are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. Argentina disputes this, and claims their sovereignty.

The Falklands War was fought over their possession during Margaret Thatcher's time as British Prime Minister. There are many islands in the group but the two biggest are East Falkland and West Falkland. As of the census of 2016, 3,398 people live on them. The people of the islands are British and speak English. The main income for the people is from fishing and sheep farming.

The Falkland Islands are about 300 miles (480 km) east of Argentina. Argentina and the UK had a short war in 1982 because Argentina claims to own the islands. The war lasted 6 weeks and about 1,000 soldiers were killed. The UK defeated Argentina and after this the governments of the two countries would not negotiate (talk) with each other. In 1990 they began to have talks again, but Argentina later refused to continue talks.

Oil and gas has been found below the sea around the islands. There is also oil and gas outside the sea area that belongs to the UK. This is owned by Argentina.

1. ↑ "Falkland Islands Census 2012: Headline results" (PDF). Falkland Islands Government. 10 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
2. ↑ 2002 estimate. "CIA World Factbook 2012". cia.gov. Archived from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
3. ↑ "Falkland Islands will remain on summer time throughout 2011". MercoPress. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
4. ↑ Joshua Project. "Ethnic People Groups of Falkland Islands". Joshua Project. Retrieved 28 February 2010.