World · permanent entity record · FK
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Thirty-second orientation
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) at a glance
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Population
- total: 3,142 (2021) male: 1,645 female: 1,497 note: data include all persons usually resident in the islands at the time of the 2021 census
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Nationality / demonym
- noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Government
- parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Languages
- English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
Claims are attributed · classifications are dated
Claims and contested status
Maintained classification
Dependency or area of special sovereignty
Administered by the United Kingdom; claimed by Argentina
U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty · as of 2026-03-31A claim’s appearance records that the cited source reports it. It does not constitute an Almanac ruling on sovereignty.
Maintained profile
- Classification
- Dependency or area of special sovereignty
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty · Federal classification and wording follow the current State Department register.
- Sovereignty or administration
- Administered by the United Kingdom; claimed by Argentina
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty ·
- Administrative center
- Stanley
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty ·
Preserved public-domain record · not maintained current data
Final CIA World Factbook profile
This is the preserved historical baseline from the Factbook’s final public snapshot. It is presented as the CIA stated it, not as a current Standard American Almanac finding. Current, independently maintained facts appear above when available.
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · profile updated · pinned source record · commit d81154954b8b
Introduction1 fields
- 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.
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Geography17 fields
- Location
- Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Area - comparative
- slightly smaller than Connecticut
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Maritime claims
- territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Terrain
- rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Elevation
- highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Natural resources
- fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Land use
- agricultural land: 93.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 93.2% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 6.8% (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Population distribution
- a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Natural hazards
- strong winds persist throughout the year
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Geography - note
- deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
People and Society17 fields
- Population
- total: 3,142 (2021) male: 1,645 female: 1,497 note: data include all persons usually resident in the islands at the time of the 2021 census
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Nationality
- noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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.) note: data represent population by national identity
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Languages
- English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Religions
- Christian 57.1%, other 1.6%, none 35.4%, unspecified 6% (2016 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Birth rate
- 10.9 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Death rate
- 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2012 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Population distribution
- a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Urbanization
- urban population: 79.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Major urban areas - population
- 2,000 STANLEY (capital) (2018)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Sex ratio
- total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Life expectancy at birth
- total population: (2017 est.) 77.9 male: 75.6 female: 79.6
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Drinking water source
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 21.8% of population
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Sanitation facility access
- urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Currently married women (ages 15-49)
- 47.7% (2016 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Environment5 fields
- Environmental issues
- overfishing by unlicensed vessels; grazing threatens important habitats; soil erosion from fires
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Land use
- agricultural land: 93.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 0% (2022 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 93.2% (2023 est.) forest: 0% (2022 est.) other: 6.8% (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Urbanization
- urban population: 79.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Carbon dioxide emissions
- 36,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 36,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Government22 fields
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Government type
- parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Dependency status
- overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Legal system
- English common law and local statutes
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Constitution
- history: previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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 note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (administered by the UK; claimed by Argentina)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Diplomatic representation from the US
- embassy: none (administered by the UK; claimed by Argentina)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Independence
- none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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”
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Song of the Falklands" lyrics/music: Christopher LANHAM history: adopted unknown _____ title: "God Save the King" lyrics/music: unknown history: official anthem, as a UK territory
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Economy10 fields
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Real GDP per capita
- $70,800 (2015 est.) $63,000 (2014 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $206.4 million (2015 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Agricultural products
- fodder and vegetable crops; venison, sheep, dairy products; fish, squid
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports - partners
- Spain 68%, Morocco 10%, USA 8%, Namibia 3%, Germany 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports - commodities
- shellfish, fish, wool, sheep and goat meat (2023) note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports - partners
- UK 68%, Greece 19%, Spain 11%, Netherlands 1%, NZ 0% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports - commodities
- refined petroleum, aircraft parts, prefabricated buildings, plastic products, surveying equipment (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exchange rates
- Falkland pounds (FKP) per US dollar - 0.78 (2024 est.) 0.805 (2023 est.) 0.811 (2022 est.) 0.727 (2021 est.) 0.78 (2020 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Energy3 fields
- Electricity
- installed generating capacity: 10,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 18.257 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 900,000 kWh (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Electricity generation sources
- fossil fuels: 73.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 26.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Petroleum
- refined petroleum consumption: 200 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Communications6 fields
- Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions: 2,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2021 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Telephones - mobile cellular
- total subscriptions: 6,420 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 184 (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- 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)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Internet users
- percent of population: 99% (2021 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- total: 1,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Transportation4 fields
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- VP-F
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Merchant marine
- total: 2 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 1
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Ports
- total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Stanley
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
The underlying United States government material is public domain. The Almanac’s reuse terms do not change the legal status of this preserved source layer.