British Overseas Territory
Territory under British sovereignty that does not form part of the United Kingdom. It has its own constitution and government; the United Kingdom is responsible for defense and external relations.
Listed by the United Nations as a Non-Self-Governing Territory.
National Identity
- Official name
- Falkland Islands
- Name 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
Sources:- Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008 No. 2846 ↗ - Falkland Islands Government - Legislation
- The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
- National anthem
- God Save the KingThe national anthem of the United Kingdom.1:03
- Title
- God Save the King
- Lyrics
- English
1God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, God save the King: Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us: God save the King.
2O Lord, our God, arise, Scatter his enemies, And make them fall. Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks, On Thee our hopes we fix, God save us all.
3Thy choicest gifts in store, On him be pleased to pour; Long may he reign: May he defend our laws, And ever give us cause With heart and voice to sing God save the King
Source: - Citizens
- Falkland Islanders
- Official name:Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008 No. 2846 ↗ - Falkland Islands Government - Legislation
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina
- Total area
- 12,173 km²
- Land area
- 12,173 km²
- Water area
- 0.00 km²
- Land borders
- None
- Coastline
- 1,288 km
- Terrain
Rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains - Highest point
- 705 mMount Usborne
- Lowest point
- 0 mAtlantic Ocean
- 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 - Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Pasture93.2%Other6.8%
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 1,134,175 hectares (93.2%)
- Other land
- 82,825 hectares (6.8%)
Source:
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate:The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
Demographics
- Population change2026
- −0.12% per year−4 people/yearWorld Rank183rdof 237
- Birth rate
- 10.0 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 8.0 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- −4.6 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 43.4 yearsWorld Rank36thof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years15.8%15-64 years70.2%65 years +14.0%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 14.0%
- Share aged under 18
- 19.2%
- Total dependency ratio
- 42
- Youth dependency ratio
- 23
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 20
- Sex ratio
- 0.97 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 1.5% 2.1% 70-79 2.2% 2.7% 60-69 6.5% 6.8% 50-59 9.8% 8.7% 40-49 8.6% 8.3% 30-39 6.3% 7.1% 20-29 4.1% 4.5% 10-19 5.3% 5.7% 0-9 5.2% 5.2% - 2026
- 0.41 below the replacement level for the Falkland Islands ()1.69 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank139thof 237
- 0.82 daughters per woman0.18 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- +1.9 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 1.9 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- −4.6 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 81.8% live in cities2,834 urban residents
- Largest settlements2016latest available
- Stanley, Mount Pleasant, Goose Green, Port HowardRankSettlementPopulation (2012 census)1Stanley2,6342Mount Pleasant3663Goose Green40(2012)4Port Howard22(2012)5Fox Bay22(2012)6North Arm20(2012)7Hill Cove16(2012)Source:
- Falkland Islands Government (2012 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- A very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley.
- Ethnic groups2016
- Figures count national identity, not ethnicity.Falkland Islander48.3%British23.1%St. Helenian7.5%Chilean4.6%Mixed6.0%Other8.5%Unspecified2.0%
- Religions2016
- Christian57.1%Other1.6%None35.4%Unspecified6.0%
- Languages
- English
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:Falkland Islands Government (2012 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- Constitutional monarchyShared with the United Kingdom: the British monarch is head of state.A territory constituted by an Order in Council under the British Settlements Acts; executive authority is vested in the Sovereign and exercised by a Governor appointed by the Sovereign and holding office at the Sovereign's pleasure (ss. 23, 56).
- System of government
- ParliamentaryThere is no head-of-government office: after each election the Legislative Assembly's elected members choose three of their number for the Executive Council, whose advice the Governor must generally accept; the Governor dissolves the Assembly (ss. 34, 58, 66).
- Official websites
- Capital
- Stanley2,538 people(2021)
- National holidays
- 12 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- FriApr 3Good Friday
- SunJun 14Liberation Day
- MonJun 15Liberation Day (observed)
- MonOct 5Peat Cutting Day
- SatNov 14King's Birthday
- MonNov 16King's Birthday (observed)
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
- SatDec 26Boxing Day
- SunDec 27Christmas Holiday
- MonDec 28Boxing Day (observed)
- TueDec 29Christmas Holiday (observed)
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- FKSTFalkland Islands Standard TimeUTC−3
- Currency
- Falkland Islands Pound (FKP)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information
- Calling code
- +500
- Internet TLD
- .fk
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- FK, FLK
- Infrastructure
- Aircraft registration prefix
- VP-F
Source:- The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
- Form of state, System of government:The Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008 (S.I. 2008 No. 2846), Schedule: The Falkland Islands Constitution ↗ - The National Archives (United Kingdom)
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
Economy
- Trade2023
- Spain68%
- Morocco10%
- United States8%
- Namibia3%
- Germany2%
Source:- The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
- Industries
- fish and wool processing
- tourism
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
Cost of Living
Society
- Internet users2016latest available
- 99% of the population
- Mobile subscriptions2016latest available
- 4,674
- Fixed telephone lines
- 2,255
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Official tourism site
- Official tourism site
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
Crime & Safety
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 79.8 years
- Infant mortality2026
- 8.6 per 1,000 live births
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 0.02 Mt per yearup 1.8 percent on the previous year1.8% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 6.3 t per personWorld Rank44thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- < 0.01%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 0.12 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 0.04 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 0.17 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 2.8 µg/m³ of PM2.5Most polluted209thof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- overfishing by unlicensed vessels
- grazing threatens important habitats
- soil erosion from fires
- International agreements
- 0 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 1 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement not a party UN Framework Convention on Climate Change not a party Kyoto Protocol not a party Ozone layer Montreal Protocol not a party Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) not a party Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity not a party CITES not a party Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) not a party Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety not a party Nagoya Protocol not a party Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands not a party World Heritage Convention not a party UN Convention to Combat Desertification not a party Chemicals and waste Basel Convention not a party Rotterdam Convention (PIC) not a party Stockholm Convention (POPs) not a party Minamata Convention on Mercury not a party Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea not a party High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) not a party MARPOL 73/78 not a party Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Falkland Islands - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 512.6 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- < 0.01%
- Supply
- No meaningful productionproduces under 2% of what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- No electricity trade0 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 0 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 0 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- No domestic productionconsumes 755 b/d in 2024Consumption2024755 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration