Map of Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands is a country in South America with its capital at Stanley, home to about 4,550 people across 12,200 km². The interactive map below plots 2 cities and towns and 1 ports recorded for Falkland Islands in YearMaps.
- Population
- 4,550
- Area
- 12,200 km²
- Capital
- Stanley
- Continent
- South America
Interactive Map of Falkland Islands
Centred on Stanley at 51.7000° S, 57.8500° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; Spanish: Islas Malvinas [ˈislas malˈβinas]), commonly referred to as the Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 mi (500 km) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and 752 mi (1,210 km) from Cape Dubouzet at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km2), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British Overseas Territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, while the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is Stanley on East Falkland.
The islands are believed to have been uninhabited prior to European discovery in the 17th century. Controversy exists over the Falklands' discovery and subsequent colonisation by Europeans. At various times, the islands have had French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements. Britain reasserted its rule in 1833, but Argentina maintains its claim to the islands. In April 1982, Argentine military forces invaded the islands. British administration was restored two months later at the end of the Falklands War. In a 2013 sovereignty referendum, almost all of the votes cast were in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory. The territory's sovereignty status is part of an ongoing dispute between Argentina and the UK.
The 2021 census recorded a population of 3,662 inhabitants, around 30% of which are temporary residents, on short-term work visas or working at the RAF Mount Pleasant military base. English is the official and predominant language. Under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983, Falkland Islanders are British citizens.
The islands lie at the boundary of the subantarctic oceanic and tundra climate zones, and both major islands have mountain ranges reaching 2,300 ft (700 m). They are home to large bird populations, although many no longer breed on the main islands owing to predation by introduced species. Major economic activities include fishing, tourism, and sheep farming, with an emphasis on high-quality wool exports. Oil exploration, licensed by the Falkland Islands Government, remains controversial as a result of maritime disputes with Argentina.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Falkland Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Falkland Islands
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.
- Location
- Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina.
- 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.
- Terrain
- Rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains.
- Highest point
- Mount Usborne 705 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 1,288 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss.
- 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.)
- Natural hazards
- Strong winds persist throughout the year.
- Geographic note
- Deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season.
- Languages
- English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)
- Religions
- Christian 57.1%, other 1.6%, none 35.4%, unspecified 6% (2016 est.)
- 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.)
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Falkland Islands in Depth
History
Although Fuegians from Patagonia may have visited the Falkland Islands in prehistoric times, the islands were uninhabited when Europeans first explored them. European claims of discovery date back to the 16th century, but no consensus exists on whether early explorers sighted the Falklands or other islands in the South Atlantic. The first undisputed landing on the islands is attributed to English captain John Strong, who, en route to Peru and Chile's littoral in 1690, explored the Falkland Sound and noted the islands' water and game.
Geography
The Falkland Islands have a land area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km2) and a coastline estimated at 800 mi (1,300 km). The archipelago consists of two main islands, West Falkland and East Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. The islands are predominantly mountainous and hilly, with the major exception being the depressed plains of Lafonia (a peninsula forming the southern part of East Falkland). The Falklands consist of continental crust fragments resulting from the break-up of Gondwana and the opening of the South Atlantic that began 130 million years ago. The islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean, on the Patagonian Shelf, about 300 mi (480 km) east of Patagonia in southern Argentina.
Economy
As of 2023, the economy of the Falkland Islands is ranked the 221st largest out of 229 in the world by GDP (PPP), but ranks 10th worldwide by GDP (PPP) per capita. The unemployment rate was 1% in 2016, and inflation was calculated at 1.4% in 2014. Based on 2010 data, the islands have a high Human Development Index of 0.874 and a moderate Gini coefficient for income inequality of 34.17. The local currency is the Falkland Islands pound, which is pegged to the British pound sterling.
Economic development was advanced by ship resupplying and sheep farming for high-quality wool. The main sheep breeds in the Falkland Islands are Polwarth and Corriedale.
Demographics
The Falkland Islands population is homogeneous, mostly descended from Scottish and Welsh immigrants who settled in the territory after 1833, and also from English and French people, Gibraltarians, Scandinavians, and South Americans. The 2016 census indicated that 43% of residents were born in the archipelago, with foreign-born residents assimilated into local culture. The legal term for the right of residence is "belonging to the islands". In 1983, full British citizenship was given to Falkland Islanders under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Falkland Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Falkland Islands: Key Facts
| Currency | Falkland Islands pound |
|---|---|
| Official language | British English |
| Head of state | Charles III |
| Calling code | +500 |
| Internet domain | .fk |
| Highest point | Mount Usborne |
| Established | 3 January 1833 |
Facts from Wikidata Q9648 (CC0).
History of Falkland Islands: Empires and States
The atlas records 4 polities whose mapped territory included part of Falkland Islands, from British Colonial Empire in 1834 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| British Colonial Empire | 1834–1999 CE | A large part |
| The British Empire | 1834–1999 CE | A large part |
| British Overseas Territories | 2000–2024 CE | A large part |
| Commonwealth of Nations | 2000–2024 CE | A large part |
Historical Maps of Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands consist of two main islands and several hundred smaller islands in the south Atlantic Ocean, off the east coast of southern South America. They are a British Overseas Territory, but nearby Argentina claims jurisdiction under the name Islas Malvinas. Most visitors to the islands come between October and March (Southern Hemisphere summer) to enjoy the spectacular wildlife and hardy rural lifestyle.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Falkland Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Falkland Islands
2 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanley | 2,213 | — | Admin-0 region capital |
| 2 | Fox Bay | 120 | — | Populated place |
Ports in Falkland Islands
1 port recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanley | 42.1 m | Minor | Atlantic Coast of South America | medium vessels |
Largest Islands of Falkland Islands
3 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FALKLAND Islands | 28,361 km² | Island group |
| 2 | East Falkland | 8,599 km² | Island |
| 3 | West Falkland | 5,733 km² | Island |
East Falkland
Island · 8,599 km²
East Falkland is an island in South America (Falkland Islands), covering an estimated 8,599 km². It extends across the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom.
East Falkland (Spanish: Isla Soledad) is the largest island of the Falklands in the South Atlantic, having an area of 6,605 km2 (2,550 square miles) or 54% of the total area of the Falklands. The island consists of two main land masses, of which the more southerly is known as Lafonia; it is joined by a narrow isthmus where the settlement of Goose Green is located, and it was the scene of the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War.
The two main centres of population in the Falklands, Stanley and Mount Pleasant, which are both in the northern half of East Falkland, are home to three-quarters of the island's population.
Adapted from Wikipedia: East Falkland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 8,599 km²
- Size rank
- #162 of 445 islands
- Region
- South America
- Subregion
- Falkland Islands
- Countries
- Falkland Islands, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- -51.6288°, -58.6133°
- Ranges:
- Cuchilla Grande (South America), Serra Geral (South America)
More about East Falkland
Geography
East Falkland, which has an area of 6,605 km2 (2,550 square miles), a little over half the total area of the islands consists of two land masses of approximately equal size. The island is almost bisected by two deep fjords, Choiseul Sound and Brenton Loch-Grantham Sound, which are separated by the 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) wide isthmus that connects Lafonia in the south to the northern part of East Falkland. The island's 1,670 km (1,040-mile) coastline has many smaller bays, inlets and headlands.
The northern part of the island, apart from the coastal strip bordering the Choiseul Sound, is largely underlain by Palaeozoic rocks in the form of quartzite and slate, which tend to form rugged landscapes and coastlines and to cause the soil to be poor and acidic.
History
The first permanent settlement on East Falkland began with Louis de Bougainville establishing Port Louis on Berkeley Sound in 1764. The French settlement included a number of Bretons, and the islands became known as "Îles Malouines" (the islands of St Malo), later Hispanicised as "Islas Malvinas". For years, Port Louis was the main settlement, not only on East Falkland, but the entire archipelago and a subject of controversy.
In October 1820, Colonel David Jewett sought shelter in the islands after his ship, the frigate Heroina, was damaged in a storm. Jewett was an American privateer employed as captain by the Buenos Aires businessman Patrick Lynch, who had obtained a privateering licence for the ship from the Buenos Aires Supreme Director Jose Rondeau.
Economy
The main industries on the island are fishing, sheep farming, and tourism. Some oats are also grown, but due to high humidity and acidic soil, the land is mainly used for grazing.
As Stanley is the capital, and East Falkland is the most populous island, it performs an economic role as the hub of the archipelago. Many cruise ships now stop there.
A large economic role is also played by RAF Mount Pleasant, which has a number of British military personnel based there. Although these number a few hundred, their economic role in a population of under two thousand is significant.
Smaller industries include horse and cattle farming, and there is also recent evidence to suggest possible valuable mineral deposits on the island.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: East Falkland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
East Falkland: Key Facts
| Area | 6,605 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,121 (2001) |
| Highest point | Mount Usborne |
| Surrounded by | Atlantic Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q642226 (CC0).
Visiting East Falkland
The Falkland Islands consist of two main islands and several hundred smaller islands in the south Atlantic Ocean, off the east coast of southern South America. They are a British Overseas Territory, but nearby Argentina claims jurisdiction under the name Islas Malvinas. Most visitors to the islands come between October and March (Southern Hemisphere summer) to enjoy the spectacular wildlife and hardy rural lifestyle.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Falkland Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
West Falkland
Island · 5,733 km²
West Falkland is an island in South America (Falkland Islands), covering an estimated 5,733 km². It extends across the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom.
West Falkland (Spanish: Isla Gran Malvina) the second largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. It is a hilly island, separated from East Falkland by the Falkland Sound. Its area is 4,532 square kilometres (1,750 square miles), 37% of the total area of the islands. Its coastline is 1,258.7 kilometres (782.1 miles) long.
Adapted from Wikipedia: West Falkland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 5,733 km²
- Size rank
- #185 of 445 islands
- Region
- South America
- Subregion
- Falkland Islands
- Countries
- Falkland Islands, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- -51.5975°, -59.8923°
- Ranges:
- Cuchilla Grande (South America), Serra Geral (South America)
More about West Falkland
Geography and wildlife
West Falkland is hillier on the side closest to East Falkland. The principal mountain range, the Hornby Hills, runs parallel with Falkland Sound. Mount Adam, the highest hill in the islands, is 700 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level.
Formerly it was thought that Mount Robinson at 695 metres (2,280 ft) above sea level was the highest point. However, a later survey found that Mount Adam was higher. At this, the Argentines transferred the name Monte Independencia from Mount Robinson to Mount Adam.
The major industry on the island is sheep farming, while it is also known for its penguin and cormorant colonies. Fishing is also popular in the two main rivers, the Warrah and the Chartres.
In the 19th century as today, indigenous land fauna was very scanty.
History
Early explorers reported the remains of canoes on West Falkland but it is unclear whether it was a one way trip, or indeed if the canoes were not swept in from Patagonia.
"Wednesday this morning we weighed and stood unto an harbour on ye west side and there came to ane anchor and sent our boat on shoar for fresh water and did kill abundance of geese and ducks but as far as wood there is none."
Although Strong recorded a lack of wood in the area, driftwood frequently washes up on Falkland beaches. This may be accounted for by the sheltered nature of Bold Cove. Strong named Falkland Sound, which gave its name to all the islands.
While the first recorded landing on the main islands of the Falklands was on West Falkland, it was settled remarkably late.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: West Falkland (CC BY-SA 4.0).
West Falkland: Key Facts
| Area | 4,531 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 127 (2012) |
| Highest point | Mount Adam |
| Surrounded by | Atlantic Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q733338 (CC0).
Visiting West Falkland
The Falkland Islands consist of two main islands and several hundred smaller islands in the south Atlantic Ocean, off the east coast of southern South America. They are a British Overseas Territory, but nearby Argentina claims jurisdiction under the name Islas Malvinas. Most visitors to the islands come between October and March (Southern Hemisphere summer) to enjoy the spectacular wildlife and hardy rural lifestyle.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Falkland Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
More Maps in South America
Falkland Islands: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Falkland Islands?
- The capital of Falkland Islands is Stanley.
- What is the population of Falkland Islands?
- Falkland Islands has a population of about 4,550, the #222 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: Wikidata.
- How big is Falkland Islands?
- Falkland Islands covers 12,200 km², ranking #164 by area.
- Which continent is Falkland Islands in?
- Falkland Islands is in South America.
- What is the largest city in Falkland Islands?
- Stanley is the largest city in Falkland Islands, with a metropolitan population of about 2,213.