Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

• 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

noun:

Falkland Islander(s)

adjective:

Falkland Island

total dependency ratio:

38.4 (2021)

youth dependency ratio:

21.8 (2021)

elderly dependency ratio:

16.6 (2021)

potential support ratio:

6 (2021)

total population:

(2017 est.) 77.9

male:

75.6

female:

79.6

urban:

100% of population (2022 est.)

urban:

0% of population (2022 est.)

rural:

21.8% of population

• overfishing by unlicensed vessels;
• grazing threatens important habitats;
• soil erosion from fires

• 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

urban population:

79.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.53% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

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

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

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

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)

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

• 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”

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

• 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

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

• 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)

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

0

very small:

0

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Stanley