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Basic Facts |
Country name |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
Gevernment type | NA |
Capital |
name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once 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 |
Currency | Falkland pound (FKP) |
Internet country code | .fk |
Ports and terminals | Stanley |
Agriculture products | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products |
Industries | fish and wool processing; tourism |
Geography |
Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina |
Coordinates | 51 45 S, 59 00 W |
Continent | South America |
Area |
total: 12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
Boundaries | 0 km |
Coastline | 1,288 km |
Climate | cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate |
Terrain | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains |
Natural resources | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss |
Natural hazards | strong winds persist throughout the year |
People |
Population | 2,967 (July 2006 est.) |
Ethnic groups | British |
Religions | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist |
Languages | English |