The Falkland Islands are an island group in the south Atlantic. They comprise a total area of 12,170 km2. The climate is cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate. The terrain is rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains. Natural resources are fish and wildlife. The religion is primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Free Church; Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist. The language is English The Falkland Islands were seen by Americus Vespucius in 1502, and first visited by Davis in 1592, later being explored by Hawkins in 1594. France took posession of the islands in 1764, only to be expelled by the Spanish in 1771 who then resigned them to England. As England didn't colonise the islands, Argentina laid claim to them and established a colony at Port Louis, which waslater destroyed by the Americans in 1831. In 1833 a
British flag was hoisted for the first time on the
Falkland Islands, at Port Louis and a British officer has resided there ever since. They were created a crown colony in 1892. Research Falkland Islands
Abbreviations
Gazetteer
Research Falkland Islands