What state is the Falkland Islands a colony of? Malvinas Islands: history and photos. Modern stage of the conflict

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See Falkland (Malvinas) Islands. * * * MALVINA ISLANDS MALVINA ISLANDS, see Falkland Islands (see FALKLAND ISLANDS) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

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Coordinates: 51°45′00″ S sh. 59°00′00″ W  / 51.75°S sh. 59°W d ... Wikipedia

Falkland (Malvinas) Islands- (Falkland Islands, Spanish Islas Malvinas), an archipelago consisting of two main. and almost 100 smaller islands in South. Atlantic. European travelers first visited the islands in con. 18th century, and then F.o. alternately were a colony of France, ... ... The World History

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• Battle for the Falklands, Hastings M., Jenkins S.. 28,000 British soldiers set off to fight for a relic of the Empire in a godforsaken corner of the world 15,000 km from home. Some died, others were forever crippled, and the Falkland...

The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory archipelago in the southwest Atlantic Ocean near . There are two large islands in the archipelago, West Falkland and East Falkland. The capital is Port Stanley.

Climate of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands have a cold oceanic climate. The warmest time is January and February with temperatures around 19 degrees Celsius, in July and August 2 degrees Celsius. The rainy season takes place in December and January. The best time to visit the islands is from October to March.

Falkland Islands Falkland Islands or neither Spanish Malvinas, a real archipelago, which is located near the southern tip of South America, British Overseas Territory. Until now, the Falkland Islands are also claimed by Argentina, which believes that this is part of Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica. The Falkland Islands are named after the Falkland Strait, which separates the two main islands of the archipelago.

Geography of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are the two largest islands East and West, as well as 776 small islets and rocks scattered in the vicinity. It is 463 kilometers to the coast of South America, 343 kilometers to the island of Estados, 1078 kilometers from the South Georgia alignments. The area of ​​the archipelago is about 12173 square kilometers, the coastline is 1300 kilometers, but the coast is very indented, as such there are no stripes of beaches. The highest Mount Adam has a height of 705 meters and is located on the East Island. Small streams flow from the mountains, there are no large rivers.

Flora and fauna of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands is an Antarctic ecozone with wildlife similar to that seen in Patagonia in Chile. A large number of birds nest on the rocks, about 60 species, but the black-browed albatross stands out here, more than half of the nesting sites in the world are located on the Falkland Islands, note that there are no reptiles and amphibians. Vegetation in the archipelago is very sparse, with many ferns and flowering plants. Almost all the meadows of the island are used for animal husbandry, and these are pastures for sheep.

History of the Falkland Islands

The Englishman John Davies discovered the Falkland Islands in 1592, while the islands were uninhabited, Spanish sailors ascribe to themselves the right to discover the islands, there are still territorial disputes between Argentina and Great Britain, Argentina does not recognize the British Falkland Islands at all. In 1763 to 1765, the islands were explored by the Frenchman Louis Antoine de Bougainville, he also founded the first settlement here on the East Island, the first city was called Port Saint-Louis, today it’s just Port Louis, it’s funny that in 1765 the British navigator John Byron explored one from the islands of the Saunders archipelago and personally annexed it to Britain, soon the first British settlement appeared in Port Egmont Bay, at the same time Spain bought all their possessions from the French, in 1770 the Spaniards attacked the English Port Egmont, defeated them and drove them out from the island, in 1771, after a short conflict, Great Britain and Spain concluded a peace treaty that allowed the British to return to their possessions.

In 1774, Britain could not afford to remain on the island, as the American War of Independence was approaching, where Britain was gradually losing much more territory. From 1776 until 1811, only Spanish or Argentine power remained in the Falklands, but in 1811 the Spaniards also left the island. But a good place will never remain empty for a long time, already in 1828 the merchant Louis Vernet from France founded a French settlement here, although with the permission of Spain and Britain, the entrepreneur was engaged in fishing for seals. In 1832, Argentina wanted to make a prison out of the Falkland Islands, but the newly arrived governor was killed by local residents, the following year the British landed on the island and notified the Argentines of their rights, the struggle for English influence continued for the next decade, and already in 1842 a military base appeared in Port -Stanley. During World War I, a battle between German and British ships took place off the coast of the archipelago, and during World War II, Port Stanley served as a repair plant for the British fleet, which was being restored after the Battle of La Plata. In 1945, Argentina, within the framework of the UN, tried to take the islands away from Britain, Great Britain itself stated that the main population, and these are 2000 people in the Falkland Islands, are British who do not want to go over to the side of Argentina, in fact, the subsequent referendum confirmed this point of view, local residents want to stay with the UK. In 1982, there was a conflict between these two countries, Argentina decided with spirit and attacked the islands, Great Britain sent its naval forces to the archipelago, as a result, Argentina was defeated, today the Falkland Islands are the subject of a territorial dispute between Argentina and Great Britain.

The overseas territory of Great Britain was confirmed by a referendum, which was held in 2013, 99.3% of the population was in favor of joining the UK, only three people spoke out against, 1517 of the 1672 inhabitants of the islands took part in the vote. Great Britain maintains its power on the islands with its military bases, these are the Mount Pleasant Air Force Base and the Mare Harbor Naval Base.

Argentina did not like it in 2012, when the UK began searching for oil here, Argentina threatened lawsuits against companies involved in oil exploration, after which the UK further increased its military presence in the region. Argentine's arguments are that Great Britain is militarizing the South Atlantic, and Great Britain that it is protecting the right to choose British citizenship for the local population, these rights are enshrined in UN documents.

Population of the Falkland Islands

Today, the population of the Falkland Islands is 2840 people, according to the 2012 census, and in 2008 the census showed a population of 3140 people, 94% of the population lives on the East Island, 4.5% on the West Island and another 22 people on other islands. Port Stanley has a population of 2120, which is 71.57% of the total population of the Falkland Islands. Note that already in the 1930s, 2,300 people lived in the Falkland Islands on average, but since the 1970s, the population began to decrease, young people left the archipelago in search of more modern work where they could make their careers, we note that the archipelago has only secondary school, local youth can receive higher education in the UK, and such education is paid from the budget of the Falkland Islands. Most of the population on the islands are descendants of the French, Gibraltarians and Scandinavians, a third of the inhabitants were born on the archipelago, all the rest are foreign visitors who were able to acclimatize here. The lack of a modern way of life and the cold climate are the main problem of life in the Falkland Islands, the vast majority of those who left the archipelago went to the British city of Southampton, which became known here as North Stanley. Today, immigration from the island has stabilized a little, the population is not declining so much, all thanks to the return migration from the UK, also from Chile and St. Helena. In the census, 29% said their nationality was Falkland Islander, 29% English, 9.8% Saint Helena, 5.4% Chilean, less than one percent Argentinian. In 2012, 12 Russians were registered in the Falkland Islands.

The Falkland Islands has one of the lowest population densities in the world, the census does not take into account the number of military personnel on military bases and their families, who in addition still make up 1,300 military and 50 civilians in the Ministry of Defense. The city of Stanley is the most populous place in the archipelago, followed by Mount Pleasant with 369 inhabitants which is a major air base. The age distribution of the islands is skewed towards the working age of 20-60 years. Men outnumber women, 53 to 47 percent. In all likelihood, high school graduates who want to go to the UK to study are unlikely to agree to live in such harsh classes, young men will be more inclined to stay at home and continue the traditions of, for example, their father's fishing.

Religion in the Falkland Islands

67.2% of the population are Christians, 31.5% without religious affiliation, 1.3% adherents of other religious denominations.

Education in the Falkland Islands

According to local legislation, compulsory secondary education has been adopted for residents aged 5 to 16 years. Schools are available only in the city of Stanley, there are both primary and secondary schools, after graduation, children can go to the UK and continue to receive higher education there.

Language in the Falkland Islands

The majority of the population speaks exclusively English, with a noticeable British accent, another 12% can speak Spanish, 0.6% German, 0.5% French, 2% of the island's population does not speak English well.

Culture of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands have always been under English and Spanish influence, here today you can observe a mixture of English and Latin American culture, some terms and place names have preserved the Spanish names of the former inhabitants of the Gauchos. Two newspapers, Teaberry Express and The Penguin News, are published on the islands, and English television and radio are received.

The local cuisine is more similar to the English one with the influence of seafood, local garden vegetables are widely used, lamb, mutton, beef and fish are always on the table. For dessert, homemade cakes, cookies and tea are traditionally prepared.

Restaurants and cafes in the Falkland Islands

In the city of Stanley there are 8 bars and 2 restaurants, they are always open for the arrival of tourists from cruise ships, the menu is exclusively traditional English, dark Guinness beer is served. Lunch can cost a little over £10 per person.

Phones and addresses in the Falkland Islands

Emergency telephone number 999, Stanley City police telephone number 27-222, an ambulance can be called at 28-042. Tourist office phone 22-215, telephone information 100.

Current time & time zone in Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are in the GMT / UTC -4 time zone, which means that in summer time Moscow is 7 hours more, in winter 6 hours, meaning that the time is moved forward an hour on Sunday 1 September, back at 3 Sunday of April.

Tourism in the Falkland Islands

Every year, about 8,000 foreign tourists arrive in the Falkland Islands, half of them stay at least one night in one of the local hotels, the tourism industry in the Falkland Islands annually brings up to 8 million euros per year. Half of the tourists are British, the rest are from South, North America, Western Europe. But most tourists come to the islands on cruise ships, with an average of 35,000 people a year. As you understand, from the point of view of the local economy, tourists who arrive on the islands by plane are more profitable, since they almost always stay in local hotels and receive additional services.

The main flow of tourists comes from the UK and South America, tourists are interested in the exploration of Antarctica, wild animals and natural beauties, fish and diving are developed. The Falkland Islands are part of an excursion to Patagonia.

Many tourists visit the Falkland Islands on a cruise aboard a large sea liner, in which case a visa is not required. Citizens of Russia or Ukraine who arrive in the Falkland Islands by plane must have a visa with them, it is issued at the consulates and embassies of Great Britain.

Currency can be imported and exported from the Falkland Islands in unlimited quantities, and nevertheless, it is better to declare amounts over $ 10,000 in writing, this does not apply to the amount on credit cards. You can bring up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 100 cigarillos, 250 grams of tobacco without paying the duty.

Medicine and treatment in the Falkland Islands

The level of medicine in the Falkland Islands is English, in the city of Stanley there is the only hospital where you can get at least first aid, more serious treatment is usually provided on the mainland, in Chile or the UK, where seriously ill patients are evacuated. First aid in the Falkland Islands is provided free of charge, further treatment according to insurance, all tourists who come to the Falkland Islands always have international insurance and there are no problems with this matter. The hospital has a pharmacy, many drugs are sold only by prescription.

Natural hazards in the Falkland Islands

No vaccinations are required before traveling to the Falkland Islands, however, there have been cases of yellow fever on the island, and a tetanus shot can also be recommended.

After the 1982 war, when Argentina attacked the Falkland Islands, anti-personnel mines were laid, and information signs were installed where mine clearance was not carried out: caution bombs. For this reason, it is not recommended to walk anywhere. Very strong winds constantly blow on the Falkland Islands, as a rule, tourists visit the archipelago in one tourist trip to Patagonia and Antarctica, therefore they take special clothes that could protect them from rain, wind, low temperatures in extreme conditions, they also take shoes on the trip studded outsole for rough terrain.

From August to December, the Falkland Islands can fall into the zone of the ozone hole over Antarctica, when solar radiation is high, it is recommended to hide from direct sunlight during this time, and there is no difference if the weather is sunny or cloudy.

Anything can be expected from the fauna of the Falkland Islands, for this reason there is a rule that prohibits approaching any animals at a distance closer than 6 meters, if the penguins are still safe, then this can not always be said about elephant seals, lions and seals.

Entertainment

There are several pubs and bars in Stanley, where in the evenings, and especially on Friday, sailors gather to sit with a glass of beer. .

Economy of the Falkland Islands

Until the 1870s, the island's housekeeper was engaged in whale hunting, after which she was engaged in sheep breeding. Today there are also food industry enterprises, this is a fish processing plant, agriculture, again with sheep breeding, tourism is also developed. 60% of the sheep herds are located on the East Island, the rest on the West Island, slaughterhouses on the East. The wool is exported to the UK. In recent years, exploration of oil reserves has been successful and wells are being drilled on the shelf of the Falkland Islands. We also note that there is a NATO nuclear military base in the South Atlantic, according to the statements of the Argentine government, but the British themselves reject this.

Wool, skins, venison, fish and squid are exported, fuel, building materials, clothing, electronics, various goods and foodstuffs are imported.

Falkland Islands GDP

The GDP of the Falkland Islands in terms of size is 222nd among 229 countries in the world, but with this GDP per capita, it is already in a very high 10th place in the world. The unemployment rate is 4.1%, the island is characterized by a high human development index, despite the fact that there are no universities and universities at all. Today, the basis of the economy is fishing, maintenance of military bases and sheep breeding, the budget also receives income from the sale of fishing licenses in the surrounding waters, in recent years the share of international tourism has increased in the future, a large income from oil production. The port city of Stanley is the backbone of the local economy, now betting on oil exploration and production, as the risks associated with issuing fishing licenses have recently increased. Sports and education are financed exclusively from the local budget, no help from the UK is needed. A quarter of the entire population of the island are civil servants, 10% are employed in agriculture, the rest in fishing.

The local Falkland pound is pegged to the British pound.

Falkland Islands transport

Active roads in the Falkland Islands began to be built only in 1982, until that moment there were roads only in the city of Port Stanley, 48 kilometers from the city there is also an international civil airport, all the rest, as you understand, are military air bases. There is a port in Port Stanley, this is also clear from the name, the second port is located in the city of Fox Bay (West Falkland). You can get from West to East Island by ferry. Between cities and within cities there is no public transport, no buses, you can travel by private car, bicycle or taxi, which must be ordered by phone.

Internet and cellular communication in the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands is Great Britain, and today it is already the 21st century, do not forget about it. Mobile coverage on the main islands of the archipelago is 100%. Your mobile phone will immediately be put on by a local operator and connected, however, Internet access according to roaming tariffs will be very expensive, posting photos and videos on social networks will cost a pretty penny, so you can recommend using wireless Internet in cafes, bars and restaurants in Stanley. Also in the Falkland Islands, satellite communication devices are in demand in stores, they can also be inexpensively rented for a while.

Telephone service in the Falkland Islands was established a long time ago, on the streets of Stanley you can see traditional London red telephone boxes everywhere, payment is made by calling cards that can be bought at the post office.

The cost of calls within the Falkland Islands is 0.08 FKP per minute, the cost of a call abroad is about one pound per minute. The international country code is 500, to call abroad from the Falkland Islands you need to dial two zeros, then the country code.

Attractions Falkland Islands

The capital of Port Stanley is located in the east of Soledad Island, it is a small port with multi-colored buildings with a maximum of two-story wooden houses. The population of the city is about 2,000 people, the largest building is the governor's house and Christ Church.

The city of Port Louis is very picturesque and is located in the bay of Berkeley Sound, 30 kilometers from the capital, next to the Volantir beach, where not people, but penguins really rest.

Because the island ownership dispute has not been finally resolved, the use of many Spanish proper names in the Falkland Islands is considered offensive. In particular, this applies to names associated with the 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentine troops. The commander of the British forces in the Falklands conflict, General Sir Jeremy Moore, did not allow the use of the name "Malvinas" in the document of the surrender of the Argentine side, rejecting it as a propaganda term.

Geography

The Falkland Islands consist of two large ones (West and East Falkland) and about 776 small islands and rocks. The archipelago is located at a distance of 343 km from the Argentine island of Estados, 463 km from the coast of South America and 1078 km from the Shag rocks (South Georgia). The total area is 12,173 km². The total length of the coastline is about 1300 km, the coast is heavily indented. The islands of West and East Falkland are separated by the Falkland Channel. The highest point of the archipelago is Mount Asborne (705 m, located on East Falkland Island), Mount Adam on West Falkland Island has a height of 700 m. There are no long rivers on the islands, but there are a large number of streams that usually flow into the nearest fjord or bay.

Climate

The climate of the islands is characterized as temperate cool, oceanic. Western winds prevail. Temperature changes during the year are relatively small. Average monthly temperatures vary from +9 °С in January and February to +2 °С in June and July. The average annual temperature is about +5.6 °С. It is under the influence of powerful cold currents. One of them - Falkland (Malvinas) - follows from the Falkland Islands to La Plata Bay. The speed of the current is 1-2 km / h. The average water temperature in winter is from +4 to +10 °С, in summer from +8 to +15 °С. It carries a large number of icebergs, although icebergs are rare near the islands.

The average annual rainfall is about 574 mm, the level of precipitation is approximately constant throughout the year. The western part of the archipelago is more arid than the eastern part. Thus, the level of precipitation in Port Stanley, on the east coast, is about 630 mm, while in the extreme west of the Falkland Islands it is only about 430 mm. Snowfall can occur in winter, but is only temporary and does not create long-term snow cover. Frequent fogs.

Flora and fauna

Biogeographically, the islands belong to the Antarctic ecozone and the Holontarctic floristic kingdom. There is a strong connection with the Patagonian flora and fauna. The only native land mammal of the archipelago was the Falkland fox (it was exterminated in the middle of the 19th century with the beginning of mass colonization). 14 species of marine mammals live in coastal waters. A large number of seabirds nest on the islands (more than 60 species), among them it is worth noting the black-browed albatross, 60% of whose nesting sites are located on the Falkland Islands. In addition, 5 species of penguins nest in the archipelago. Not a single species of reptiles and amphibians lives on the islands. About 200 species of insects have been recorded, as well as 43 species of spiders and 12 species of worms. Only 13 species of terrestrial invertebrates are recognized as endemic (beetles Malvinius, Morronia, Falklandius and others), but due to the lack of information on many species, the proportion of endemics is probably much more significant. 6 species of fish live in the fresh waters of the archipelago.

The vegetation of the archipelago is represented by cereal meadows and moorlands. There are 363 species of vascular plants, 21 species of ferns and 278 species of flowering plants.

The flora and fauna of the archipelago were greatly changed during colonization. Today, almost the entire territory of the islands is used as pasture for sheep. Introduced species of plants and animals cause damage to local flora and fauna.

Story

The Europeans did not find the indigenous population on the islands, but in ancient times they could be visited by Fuegians. In the second half of the 19th century, on the islands of the Keppel and Pebble archipelago, tools and traces of a settlement left by the Yagana sea tribe from Tierra del Fuego were discovered.

Officially, the islands were discovered in -1592 by the English navigator John Davies, who commanded the ship on the expedition of the English corsair Thomas Cavendish, however, the Spaniards also claim the right to be considered the discoverers of the archipelago. Subsequently, the islands repeatedly changed hands.

However, despite this, until 1834, the Falkland Islands, in fact, were self-governing. And only on January 10, 1834, the British naval lieutenant Henry Smith raised the Union Jack over Port Louis. At the same time, governors, as such, began to be appointed only from 1842, and before that the head of the islands was the so-called resident naval officer(eng. resident naval officer). Subsequently, the British Royal Navy built a military base in the Falklands at Stanley, and the islands became a strategically important navigation point in the Cape Horn area.

World War I

The German command tried to intensify the actions of its fleet on the British sea lanes in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Vice Admiral von Spee led the campaign of the squadron (2 armored and 3 light cruisers, 2 transports and a hospital ship) to the shores of South America, where on November 1, 1914, in a battle near Cape Coronel, he defeated an English squadron of cruisers.

Having completed the task of diverting significant forces of the English fleet, the German squadron received an order to break through back to Germany. Not knowing the location of the English ships, Spee decided to strike at the English naval base of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, where the English squadron was located (1 battleship, 2 battleships, 3 armored and 2 light cruisers). Encountering unexpectedly strong resistance, Spee tried to leave, but the English ships overtook him. Spee ordered the light cruisers and transports to withdraw in various directions. They were pursued by British armored and light cruisers, while the battlecruisers engaged and sank the German armored cruisers. 2 German light cruisers and transports were also destroyed. Only the Dresden cruiser (died in battle off the island of Mas a Tierra) and the Seidlitz hospital ship managed to escape (interned in neutral Argentina). As a result of the victory, the British command was freed from the need to allocate significant forces to secondary theaters of operations, and the German command lost a strong cruiser squadron. Spee himself died on the flagship cruiser Scharnhorst.

Mid 20th century

The question of the territorial belonging of the islands again arose in the second half of the 20th century. Argentina saw in the creation of the UN an opportunity to declare to the rest of the countries its rights to the archipelago: when signing the UN Charter in 1945, Argentina declared that it retained the rights to own the Falkland Islands and the right to get them back. Britain responded in the spirit that the islanders must vote to secede from the UK in a referendum and that this was an important condition for the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. Later, in the 1960s, negotiations took place between the British and Argentine representatives, but they did not lead to any clear solution to the Falklands issue. The stumbling block in the negotiations was the fact that the two thousand inhabitants of the islands, mostly of British origin, preferred that they remain British territory.

Anglo-Argentine conflict

British military bases are located on the islands - air force base "Mount Pleasant" and naval base "Mayor Harbor".

Relations between the UK and Argentina deteriorated again after British companies began developing offshore oil fields near the islands in 2010. In the spring of 2012, the Argentine authorities announced that they intended to sue companies involved in oil and gas exploration in areas near the islands, such as Rockhopper Exploration, Falkland Oil & Gas, and others. After that, the UK increased its military presence in the region, strengthening the fleet with the latest destroyer Dauntless and the Trafalgar-class submarine, as well as defiantly sending Prince William on a six-week mission there.

Shortly thereafter, Argentina protested the militarization of the islands, but on February 8, 2012, the UK denied these allegations.

“We are not militarizing the South Atlantic. Our defensive strategy in the Falkland Islands remains unchanged. The people of the Falklands choose British citizenship. Its right to self-determination is enshrined in the UN charter,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement.

Population

As of the 2016 census, the population of the Falkland Islands is 3,200. (in 2012 - 2840, in 2008 - 3140 people. According to the 2012 census, most of the population (94.7% or 2691 people) live on East Falkland Island, 4.5% or 127 people live on West Falkland Island and 0.8% or 22 people - on other islands of the archipelago Port Stanley is home to 2120 people (71.57% of the population of the archipelago).

The language of most of the population is English, Spanish is also common (12%). About 2% of the population speaks English uncertainly or does not speak this language at all. 66% of the population of the archipelago professes Christianity, 32% declared no religion, about 2% profess other religions. Most of the population (1/2) are descendants of Scottish, English, Chilean settlers, some are also recent immigrants from Great Britain (27%), St. Helena (10%), Chile (6%), France, Germany and other countries) . In recent years, the government has been taking measures to develop the islands at the expense of immigrants from "new" countries. Thus, the 2016 census recorded 72 people. from Zimbabwe, 53 people. from the Philippines and 12 people. from Peru. As a result, the population of the islands has become even more "variegated". The proportion of the colored population (African, Asian, Indian origin) has grown to 15-20%.

The Falkland Islands could be called Anti-Slandia, by analogy with Antarctica, which means "Land opposite the Arctic." The Falklands are also located in the Atlantic Ocean and are approximately the same distance from their pole as. The same strong winds blow here, causing rare trees to grow in bizarre shapes. And most importantly, everyone here also speaks English, since the Falklands are a small piece of Great Britain, lost on the other side of the world.

The entire population of the Falkland Islands is 3,000 people. This is the only country where all the inhabitants know each other. At the same time, 500,000 sheep and 770,000 penguins live on the islands. I talked about penguins in detail in, and today we'll talk about the capital of Falkland - Port Stanley, where 2/3 of the country's population lives.

The city can be walked from one side to the other in 20 minutes. All buildings are low and wooden:

There are only a couple of brick buildings in the city. One of them is located next to the pier and welcomes all guests. It was built for the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria and is already over 100 years old:

And the second brick building is a Protestant church:

The interesting sculpture in front of her is nothing but 2 giant jaws of a blue whale, stacked with each other:

Church inside:

This is not the only church in the city. In addition to the English Protestant Church, there is also a Catholic one:

Editorial office of the local newspaper:

Almost all tourists without fail go to the post office and send themselves a postcard with the stamp of the Falkland Islands:

The city has 8 pubs and 2 restaurants. The best pub, according to a local taxi driver, is Deano's Bar:

The second most popular Globe Tavern:

Local seagulls are happy to clean the plates here for fastidious visitors:

A few more views of the city:

The city has many monuments to sailors and fallen soldiers in the 75-day war against Argentina, which took place in 1982. At the time, England was economically weak and Argentina decided to seize the islands, hoping that Margaret Thatcher would not be able to recapture them. They were greatly mistaken. It took the British 2 and a half months to fully regain control of the islands:

During the war, the Argentines heavily mined almost the entire area of ​​the islands. So far, not all of these fields have been cleared. Vast territories are surrounded by fences with signs: Danger! Minefields! Already cleared areas located next to non-cleared ones are also marked with signs, but with a softer content:

More monuments:

The city has several shops selling food, clothing and even electronics:

There is always a very strong wind blowing here. This is clearly seen in the shape of the trees:

But even such a strong wind does not stop the local "English" from street football:

Oil and gas have not yet been discovered here, so the local population drowns their houses with peat. It burns badly, but there are fish for lack of fish and cancer:

It is cut in cubes directly from the ground along the road:

Most of the cars in the Falklands are English Land Rovers. There are practically no roads here and you can only move around the country by SUV:

All rooms are very basic. F - stands for Falklands:

You can also ride around the city on a double-decker bus:

The Falkland Islands are located very conveniently for sailors. As everyone knows, the weather is always very bad near Cape Horn and the sea, to put it mildly, is "not calm". By the way, I'll be there in 4 days. Ships damaged while passing Cape Horn took refuge in the Falklands for repairs and refueling with water and provisions. Those ships that could no longer be repaired were thrown right here. Therefore, there are a lot of dilapidated skeletons around the city:

The Falkland (Malvinas) Islands are an archipelago in the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean, 480 km. east of Argentina. The archipelago consists of two large islands - Soledad (East Falkland) and Gran Malvina (West Falkland), and many (about 200) small ones.

The capital is Port Stanley.

The total area is 12.2 thousand square meters. km.

Climate
Oceanic, cool and evenly humid. Average annual temperatures do not exceed +10 C, January (summer) - +18 C, July (winter) - +3 C. Precipitation is about 1500 mm. per year, December and January are also the wettest months. The best time to visit the islands is from October to April.

Population
About 2.5 thousand people. The population of the archipelago consists mainly of people from the British Isles and Chile. Language: English, Spanish. Religion - Anglican Christianity.

Time is 7 hours behind Moscow time.

Monetary unit The Falkland Islands pound (Fb or FlP), pegged to the British pound sterling, which is used along with the local currency. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 50, 20, 10 and 5 pounds, coins in denominations of 1 and 2 pounds, as well as in 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 pence. The currency of the Falkland Islands cannot be exchanged anywhere outside the islands. The use of credit cards and traveler's checks is limited but is growing. Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards can be cashed at the Upland Goose Hotel, Malvina House Hotel, various Port Stanley stores and the Falkland Island Travel Service office. Traveler's checks can be exchanged at the Standard Chartered Bank and some commercial banks. To avoid additional costs, it is recommended to take traveler's checks in pounds sterling. Tipping is 5-10% in restaurants and about 50 pence per day in hotels. Otherwise, the amount should be rounded up.

Story
The islands were discovered by Europeans in the 16th century. British possession since 1892. They are a disputed territory claimed by Argentina, which resulted in large-scale hostilities between these countries in April 1982. The conflict ended in the defeat of Argentina, but it continues to consider this territory its own. They are governed by a governor who is accountable to the government and the Queen of Great Britain.

Information for tourists
Wildlife watching is the main attraction of the Falkland Islands. Many island birds and marine mammals have become accustomed to the constant presence of humans and do not pay any attention to the presence of observers. Penguins are the most famous inhabitants of these places, five varieties of them live here and their colonies on the shores of the islands, capes and estuaries are extensive and extremely picturesque. Also of great interest are large colonies of beautiful black-headed albatrosses, falcons, hawks and swans, as well as extensive rookeries of elephant seals and sea lions. Large herds of dolphins and killer whales are found off the coast of the archipelago. Fishing, especially sea trout, mullet and tuna, is another popular pastime here, especially the Marell River, which flows almost along the outskirts of Port Stanley, is especially good for this. The fishing season lasts from September to April, the best months for trout fishing are from March to April.

Port Stanley (Stanley or Puerto Argentino) is really little different from a village. Historically, it has acquired its political status only due to its larger size than other settlements of the archipelago. Since many of its houses were built of stone and timber "rescued" from the wreckage of numerous shipwrecks, the city has a certain charm, accentuated by its brightly painted buildings, traditional English lawns and the constant smell of burning peat carried by the sea breeze. The most "photogenic" object of the city is the Government House, which has been the residence of the governor of the islands since the middle of the 19th century. An obligatory ceremony when visiting is an entry in the "register of visitors", a tribute to tradition and the government of the islands. Nearby is Christ Church Cathedral, a massive brick and stone structure with a colorfully painted metal roof and imposing stained glass windows. The building was built in 1892 and now houses a museum and several plaques commemorating Falkland soldiers who died fighting in the World Wars. In a small square next to the cathedral rises the recently restored Wailbone Arch, erected in 1933 to commemorate the centenary of British rule in the Falkland Islands.

Many visitors come to the islands to visit the sites of famous events of the armed conflict between Argentina and Great Britain over the Falkland Islands. This "strange war", in which both states fought at a distance of hundreds and thousands of miles from their shores for a tiny piece of land lost in the ocean, still excites the minds of people, forcing them to go practically "to the ends of the world" to look at the battlefields "live". The battlefields of Green Goose, San Carlos, Fitzroy, Pebble Island, Mount Pebbledown, Wireless Ridge, Sapper Hill and directly around Port Stanley still attract the attention of thousands of visitors with their military cemeteries and museums.

The "highlight" in the life of the islands is the annual summer sports competition, which unites the islanders, usually fragmented on their isolated farms. Visitors to the islands are welcomed with great pleasure to participate in these festivities, which traditionally include horse races, various rodeos and herding sheep competitions. Competitions usually take place in Stanley between Christmas and New Year, and in the West Falklands - at the end of February (there is no permanent venue for festivals - the right to host competitions is contested by all settlements in turn).

Port Louis, dating back to a French colony, is the oldest settlement in the Falkland Islands and as such has some of the oldest buildings on the islands. This is an ivy-covered farm (by the way, still functioning) of the 19th century, the ruins of the residence of the French governor and the estate of Louis Vernet nearby. Port Louis lies in the very depths of Berkeley Sound, the largest bay in the East Falklands, 35 km. northwest of Port Stanley. The surroundings of the city are very picturesque and with their green low mountain slopes they resemble the landscape of northern Scotland. Volunteer Beach, to the east of Port Louis on the shores of Johnson Harbor, provides excellent conditions for more than 150 breeding pairs of king penguins, the largest colony of king penguins on the islands. A few hours' walk east of the beach, at Volunteer Noynt, there is a large colony of Antarctic fur seals, and at Volunteer Lacun, elephant seals. Tours to these sites can be arranged from Port Stanley or by arrangement with the local landowner for permission to visit them on their own.

Sea Lion Island, lying east of Falkland's south coast, is less than a mile in diameter but teeming with wildlife. Among its usual inhabitants - five varieties of penguins, a huge colony of cormorants, giant pigeons and almost tame "Johnny Rook" - as the locals call the striped caracara. Hundreds of elephant seals literally fill the sandy and pebbly shores of the southern pool of the island. Thanks to the progressive agricultural practices of local landowners, the island's flora and fauna thrive in close proximity to sheep farms, and the island itself is considered the only Falkland island with preserved natural grass cover.

The West Falklands (Gran Malvina) are almost the same size as the East Falklands, but have only one good road, making it nearly impossible to travel without using 4WD. There are many small communities and private farms worth visiting, whose inhabitants are very friendly to strangers. The real attractions of the West Falklands include the same wildlife sightings and good (but challenging) trekking. At the southwestern tip of the island, at Port Stephens, thousands of seabirds nest, while at Calm Head, there are superb views of the jagged coastline and surrounding ocean expanses. The now abandoned observation station for the huge colony of penguins makes the long hike across the island to the Albemarle area worthy of special attention. You can stay there for the night and spend some time watching the busy life of the restless "penguin tribe" - they do not pay the slightest attention to people. For permission to cross the farmlands here, you should definitely contact local farmers - hiking without their permission is considered bad form, and simply unsafe because of the rather rugged terrain, replete with obstacles known only to local residents.

Sanders Island, north of the west coast of Falkland, is home to the first British garrison in the Falkland Islands, built in 1765. It was the expulsion of this tiny garrison by the Spanish in 1767 that caused the war between the two countries. After 1774, the Spaniards demolished the settlement and all that remains today are a few wharfs, blocks of house foundations, and the terraces of the British Marines' garden. In addition to these ruins, the island boasts large colonies of seabirds (including several species of penguins) and elephant seals.

Particular attention when visiting the islands should be given to horse trails. The islanders, like all the British, are well versed in horses and are famous as good riders, therefore, excellent horses will be selected for such a kind of "horse trekking", and routes are usually laid through the most picturesque places.

Entry rules A UK visa is required to enter. Visas for stays up to 4 months are required for everyone except citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cyprus, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, San Marino, Switzerland and Uruguay. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are generally allowed to stay on the islands for up to six months without a visa. In other cases, to obtain a visa, you must submit an application form in English, a passport valid for at least 6 months, 2 passport-sized photographs and provide evidence of sufficient funds for a long stay, as well as present a progressive air ticket. The term for processing documents is within 24 hours with direct contact with the embassy and 2-4 weeks for postal items. Please note: all visitors to the islands, even nationals of the aforementioned countries, must obtain permission to visit the Falkland Islands from the Falkland Islands Government Office in London or the nearest British Consulate. In the case of a tourist trip, permission can be obtained upon arrival, from the Falkland Islands Immigration Office (Ross Road, Port Stanley, telephone: 27340; fax: 27342). Permits require round-trip tickets, evidence of sufficient financial funds, and evidence of accommodation commitments on the island. For all types of travel there is one type of visa costing £5 valid for 6 months from the date of issue for stays of up to 4 months.

Instructions and visa requirements are subject to change without notice, so it is recommended that you contact the relevant diplomatic or consular authorities before traveling.

Customs regulations There are no restrictions on the import and export of local and foreign currencies.

Duty-free import is allowed: cigarettes - up to 200 pcs., or cigars - up to 50 pcs., or tobacco - up to 250 gr., alcoholic beverages with a strength of more than 22 "degrees" - up to 1 liter, a strength of less than 22 "degrees" - up to 2 l., perfumes - up to 50 ml., toilet water - up to 250 ml., souvenirs and gifts - in the amount of not more than 32 pounds. The importation of drugs, weapons (including knives with pop-out blades), counterfeit coins and banknotes, obscene materials, meat, poultry and products from them, radio transmitters, plants, all kinds of live birds and bird eggs is prohibited.