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- (dependent territory of the UK)
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- █ ≡ GEOGRAPHY ≡ █
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- Total area: 12,170 km²; land area: 12,170 km²; includes the two
- main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
-
- Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
-
- Land boundaries: none
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- Coastline: 1,288 km
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- Maritime claims:
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- Continental shelf: 100 meter depth;
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- Exclusive fishing zone: 150 nm;
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- Territorial sea: 12 nm
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- Disputes: administered by the UK, claimed by Argentina
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- Climate: 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
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- Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
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- Natural resources: fish and wildlife
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- Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 99% meadows and pastures;
- 0% forest and woodland; 1% other
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- Environment: poor soil fertility and a short growing season
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- Note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors
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- █ ≡ People ≡ █
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- Population: 1,958 (July 1990), growth rate 0.5% (1990)
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- Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1990)
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- Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1990)
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- Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1990)
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- Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
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- Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1990)
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- Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1990)
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- Nationality: noun--Falkland Islander(s); adjective--Falkland Island
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- Ethnic divisions: almost totally British
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- Religion: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Free Church;
- Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
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- Language: English
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- Literacy: NA%, but compulsory education up to age 15
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- Labor force: 1,100 (est.); about 95% in agriculture, mostly sheepherding
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- Organized labor: Falkland Islands General Employees Union, 400 members
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- █ ≡ Government ≡ █
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- Long-form name: Colony of the Falkland Islands
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- Type: dependent territory of the UK
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- Capital: Stanley
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- Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
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- Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
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- Constitution: 3 October 1985
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- Legal system: English common law
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- National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
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- Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council
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- Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council
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- Judicial branch: Supreme Court
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- Leaders:
- Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
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- Head of Government--Governor William Hugh FULLERTON (since NA 1988)
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- Political parties: NA
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- Suffrage: universal at age 18
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- Elections:
- Legislative Council--last held 3 October 1985 (next to be
- held October 1990); results--percent of vote by party NA;
- seats--(10 total, 8 elected) number of seats by party NA
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- Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
-
- Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the
- Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of
- the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is 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
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- █ ≡ Economy ≡ █
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- Overview: The economy is based on sheep farming, which directly or
- indirectly employs most of the work force. A few dairy herds are kept to
- meet domestic consumption of milk and milk products, and crops grown are
- primarily those for providing winter fodder. Major sources of income are
- from the export of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of stamps and
- coins. Rich stocks of fish in the surrounding waters are not presently
- exploited by the islanders, but development plans called for the islands to
- have six trawlers by 1989. In 1987 the government began to sell fishing
- licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive
- fishing zone. These license fees amount to more than $25 million per year.
- To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands Development Corporation has
- built three lodges for visitors who are attracted by the abundant wildlife
- and trout fishing.
-
- GNP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
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- Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
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- Unemployment rate: 0%
-
- Budget: revenues $11 million; expenditures $11.8 million,
- including capital expenditures of $1.2 million (FY87)
-
- Exports: at least $14.7 million;
- commodities--wool, hides and skins, and other;
- partners--UK, Netherlands, Japan (1987 est.)
-
- Imports: at least $13.9 million;
- commodities--food, clothing, fuels, and machinery;
- partners--UK, Netherlands Antilles (Curacao), Japan (1987 est.)
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- External debt: $NA
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- Industrial production: growth rate NA%
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- Electricity: 9,200 kW capacity; 17 million kWh produced, 8,700 kWh per
- capita (1989)
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- Industries: wool processing
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- Agriculture: predominantly sheep farming; small dairy herds and
- fodder crops
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- Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
- (1970-87), $102 million
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- Currency: Falkland pound (plural--pounds); 1 Falkland pound
- (LF) = 100 pence
-
- Exchange rates: Falkland pound (LF) per US$1--0.6055 (January 1990),
- 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986), 0.7714 (1985);
- note--the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
-
- Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
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- █ ≡ Communications ≡ █
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- Highways: 510 km total; 30 km paved, 80 km gravel, and 400 km unimproved
- earth
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- Ports: Port Stanley
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- Civil air: no major transport aircraft
-
- Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
- none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
- none with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m
-
- Telecommunications: government-operated radiotelephone and private
- VHF/CB radio networks provide effective service to almost all points on
- both islands; 590 telephones; stations--2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean
- INTELSAT earth station with links through London to other countries
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- █ ≡ Defense Forces ≡ █
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- Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK