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falkland islands:
general info
· travel advisories
· getting there
· getting around
when to go
· fast facts
· history
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The Falkland Islands, or the Islas Malvinas, as they are called in
Argentina, which lies 40km (300mi) to the west, consist of two main islands, and
more than 200 small ones.
The windswept islands were discovered in 1592 by the English navigator John Davis.
The Falklands were first occupied nearly 200 years later by the French in 1764
and the British. The French interest, bought by Spain in 1770, was assumed by
Argentina in 1806. The British, who had withdrawn in 1774, returned in 1832. They
dispossessed the Argentinean settlers and founded a settlement of their own -
one that became a colony in 1892. In 1982, Argentinean forces invaded the islands,
but two months later the United Kingdom regained possession. In 1999, a formal
agreement between Britain and Argentina permitted Argentineans to visit the islands.
The economy is dominated by sheep-farming. The prospect of rich offshore oil and
natural gas reserves remains enticing, but may be uneconomic to extract and export.
There's so much more to learn... Check out our Facts For The Visitor or read up on our reviews of everything about Falkland Islands:
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