Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

1,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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

1,180 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (government operated)

Televisions

NA Defense

Agriculture

fodder and vegetable crops; sheep farming, small dairy herds

Budget

revenues: $42.7 million expenditures: $28.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993-94 est.)

Currency

1 Falkland pound (LF) = 100 pence

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: UK, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments totaled $18 million (1993-94)

Economic overview

The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, which directly or indirectly employs most of the work force. 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. Rich stocks of fish in the surrounding waters are not presently exploited by the islanders. So far, efforts to establish a domestic fishing industry have been unsuccessful. The economy has diversified since 1987, when 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 and support the island's health, education, and welfare system. 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. An agreement between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves.

Electricity

capacity: 9,200 kW production: 17 million kWh consumption per capita: 7,253 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Falkland pound (LF) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Exports

$5.4 million commodities: wool, hides, meat partners: UK, Netherlands, Japan (1992)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $NA

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$NA

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$26.2 million commodities: food, clothing, timber, and machinery partners: UK, Netherlands Antilles (Curacao), Japan (1992)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

wool and fish processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

1,100 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding)

Unemployment rate

NA%; labor shortage

Area

total area: 12,170 sq km land area: 12,170 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Climate

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

1,288 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates

51 45 S, 59 00 W

Geographic note

deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season

International disputes

administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 99% forest and woodland: 0% other: 1%

Location

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

Map references

South America

Maritime claims

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

Natural resources

fish, wildlife

Terrain

rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Administrative divisions

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Capital

Stanley

Constitution

3 October 1985

Data code

FA

Diplomatic representation in US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (of the UK since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch head of government: Governor R. RALPH (since NA) was appointed by the queen cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex-officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor

Flag

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

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

International organization participation

ICFTU

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

English common law

Legislative Council

elections last held 11 October 1989 (next was to be held NA October 1994); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (10 total, 8 elected) independents 8

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Colony of the Falkland Islands conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Political parties and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

dependent territory of the UK

US diplomatic representation

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Ethnic divisions

British

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Nationality

noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

2,374 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.43% (1996 est.)

Religions

primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Sex ratio

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Airports

total: 5 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 4 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 510 km paved: 30 km unpaved: 480 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Stanley

Railways

0 km