FALKLAND ISLANDS/ ISLAS MALVINAS Stanley 191 Goose Green Sea Lion Island © Lonely Planet Publications Planet Lonely © Steeple Jason

( p206 ) ( p204 ), site of Steeple Jason Steeple ( p204 ) ( p204 ) ( p202 ) Falkland Islands Museum Islands Falkland Goose Green Goose Green pubs Sea Lion Island Sea picturesque picturesque at browed albatrosses at lands War at ( p200 ) in Stanley the fiercest fighting

a drink with the locals in Stanley’s Share penguin species of the Falklands’ See all five colony of black- Survey the world’s largest Honor all those who died during the Falk- the superb Visit

HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

The Falklands retain their rural character: the islands are laced with 400km of roads, but laced with 400km of rural character: their the islands are retain Falklands The Since the advent of large sheep stations in the late 19th century, rural settlement in the sheep stations in the late of large Since the advent Today more than four-fifths of the 3140 Falklanders (sometimes called ‘Kelpers’) live in in (sometimes called ‘Kelpers’) live of the 3140 Falklanders than four-fifths Today more Until Argentina’s military dictatorship made an ill-advised decision to invade the Falklands military dictatorship decision to invade the Falklands made an ill-advised Until Argentina’s

there’s not one traffic light. there’s countryside, as do 700,000 sheep, which outnumber Falklanders by 200 to one. Falklanders countryside, as do 700,000 sheep, which outnumber could collect the wool clip. Shepherds usually lived in ‘outside houses,’ which still dot the could collect lived the wool clip. Shepherds usually Falklands has consisted of tiny hamlets built near sheltered harbors where coastal shipping harbors where of tiny hamlets built near sheltered has consisted Falklands of the remainder are immigrants or temporary residents from the UK. residents immigrants or temporary are of the remainder Falklanders are native born, some tracing their ancestry back six or more generations. Most generations. born, some tracing their ancestry back six or more native are Falklanders outside Stanley. Few of the numerous smaller offshore islands are inhabited. About 60% of inhabited. islands are of the numerous smaller offshore outside Stanley. Few ant base. The rest of the islanders live in ‘Camp,’ the name given to all of the Falklands to all of the Falklands the name given in ‘Camp,’ live of the islanders rest The ant base. Stanley. There are also more than 1200 British military personnel, nearly all at the Mt Pleas- than 1200 British military personnel, nearly all also more are Stanley. There one for every three islanders. islanders. three one for every put the islands on the front page, at the cost of 900 Argentine and British military deaths – front page, at the cost of 900 Argentine put the islands on the difficult until the Argentines built an airport in 1977. The 11-week Falklands War suddenly built an airport 11-week Falklands difficult until the Argentines in 1977. The in 1982, few people could even pinpoint the location of this remote archipelago. Visiting was was Visiting archipelago. pinpoint the location of this remote could even people in 1982, few the same area as Northern or Connecticut. the same area Ireland islands, East and West Falkland, and more than 700 smaller ones cover 12,173 sq km, about 12,173 sq km, about than 700 smaller ones cover and more islands, East and West Falkland, Atlantic and by centuries of controversy, the islands lie 490km east of Patagonia. Two main east of Patagonia. the islands lie 490km and by centuries of controversy, Atlantic their spectacular populations of penguins, seals and albatrosses. Surrounded by the South Surrounded by their spectacular of penguins, seals and albatrosses. populations in conjunction with a visit to South Georgia – but they’re well worth but they’re – seeing on their own for in conjunction to South Georgia with a visit The Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas are a popular addition to many Antarctic a popular addition voyages – usually are Islands/Islas Malvinas Falkland The

Islas Malvinas Islas Malvinas Falkland Islands/ Falkland FALKLAND ISLANDS/ ISLAS MALVINAS a garrison at Port Louis on East Falkland,a garrison atPortLouis on East tlement until1764, whentheFrench built port. home Malouines’called theislands ‘Les after their early French navigators fromStMalo, who Spanish name,IslasMalvinas, derives from cates knowledge of theislands.TheFalklands’ chart a1522Portuguese indi- tion, although HMS on August14,1592byJohn Davis, master of theislandswerecanoes, discovered officially Indians mayhave reached theFalklands in there’s thatPatagonianAlthough evidence History uncommon. and there are manyotherbirdsequallyinteresting Magellanic thatbreed here, androckhopper) five typesof penguin(gentoo, king,macaroni, There are the nonative landanimals.Besides its flowers smellremarkably like chocolate. which, whilenotendemic,isstillinteresting – wild; andvanilladaisy until recently tobeextinctinthe thought caramel-scented, magenta-blossomed annual leaves; Felton’s flower pens), species, including:snake plant the 13endemicplantsare unusual several significantareashave of preserved it.Among remains someoffshore today, although islands bellata) of thenative tussockgrass time of Europeandiscovery, extensive stands nate theflora. There are nonative trees. Atthe West Falkland. Grasslandsandshrubs domi- many of and theridges andpeaksonbothEast runs’ of quartzite boulders thatdescendfrom Falkland’s is700m pointis705m highest Falkland’s East erally hillytomountainous. Falkland, theterrain isgen- knownasLafonia, forthelow-lyingsouthernhalfof Except East Environment is only 600mm. oneofStanley, theislands’mosthumidareas, above freezing. Average annualrainfallat est winter daysthetemperature usuallyrises rarely reach onthecold- 24°C,whileeven winds.Maximumquent high temperatures 192 interesting geological features are the‘stone The islands’climate istemperate, withfre- Climate No European power established aset- No Europeanpower established FALKLAND ISLANDS/ISLASMALVINAS ••Climate Desire, with its phallic-looking stalks andtiny withitsphallic-lookingstalks dominated thecoastline,butvery little duringanEnglish naval expedi- Mt Adam (Calandrinia feltonii), (Calandrinia (Leuceria suaveolens),(Leuceria Mt Usborne . Amongthemost (Parodiochloa fla- (Nassauvia ser-(Nassauvia ; West a

Lexington, USS Duncan, commandingthecorvette Silas a hotheadedUSnaval Captain officer, Soundtriggeredin Berkeley reprisals from ing vessels, exploit localfur populations. seal andsustainably monitor uncontrolledsealers neur namedLouisVernet initiated aproject to anaturalizedBuenosAiresLater, entrepre- itsclaimassuccessortoSpain. 1820s toassert governor amilitary known) sent intheearly (asArgentinathe RiodelaPlata wasformerly visited,sealers untiltheUnited Provinces of colonies intheearly1800s,onlywhalers and secure penalcolonies.After itabandoned the theislandsasoneoftained theworld’smost claims. territorial the area renouncing –without,however, their British, whoonlyafew years later abandoned of war,Spainrestored PortEgmont tothe expelled theBritishin1767.Underthreat Spanish forcesnextdetectedsettlement. and planted the French colonyafter anamicable Spain, meanwhile,discovered andthensup- Port Egmont, onSaunders Island,in1765. upaWestFalkland set Britain outpostat Unbeknownst toeitherFranceorSpain, SpainandPortugal.New Worldbetween papal Treaty of Tordesillasthatdividedthe disregarding Spanish claimsunderthe By thelate 1800s, the island’secology was by overgrazing.grass wassoondevastated to beathreat andthenative to sheep; tussock wiped out;bounties were placed onbirdsfelt rah, theisland’s only native mammal,was Nothing stoodinthewayof sheep: thewar- spawned similaroperationsinSouth America. lands inextensive holdingsby the 1870s. preneurs occupiedallotheravailable pastoral largest landholder. Otherimmigrantentre- Islands Company(FIC)becamethe islands’ theFalklandEnglishman fromMontevideo, an export.FoundedbySamuelLafone, tant to replace cattle,andwoolbecameanimpor- began until themid-19thcentury,whensheep nearly 30 years, unsuccessfully. for propertydamages inBritishcourtsfor Vernetpelled byBritain. pursued hisclaims force there untilearly1833,whenitwasex- Vernet’s departure, BuenosAires kept atoken beyondrestorationsettlement in1831.After Vernet’s seizure of three Americanseal- For therest of the18thcentury,Spainmain- Woolraising wasvery successful and Under theBritish,Falklands languished whovandalizedthePortLouis Harriet,

Superior and lonelyplanet.com Breakwater,

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FALKLAND ISLANDS/ISLAS MALVINAS ISLANDS/ISLAS FALKLAND 0 20 miles 20 0 0 40 km 40 0 lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com FALKLAND ISLANDS/ ISLAS MALVINAS publicly owned landwasminimal; apartfrom rule, islanders could notacquire any.Even parceled outintheearlydaysofbeen British poorly paidlaborers. Sinceallthelandhad tom line,whilethe islanders were essentially words imply–caringonlyabout thebot- often exhibiting allthebadqualitiesthose landowners landlords, inLondon–absentee the islandswere anear-feudal societywith land ownership. Fromthe1870sto 1970s, populations. bird introductionof small cidental ratsdevastated The deliberate introductionof catsandthe ac- wasgrowing. each sheep tosustain needed tottering andtheamountof exhausted land 194 Land overuse problems,andsodid Land brought the Government Official History Series; the Government History Official HistoryoftheFalklandsThe Official Campaign series; History (1985), whichcovers oftheClassicMilitary thewarin fairlydetailedfashionaspart penguins, whichare toolighttosetoffthecharges. beachesandpastures off-limits. strictly certain The minefieldshave notprevented thereturn of war, alongwiththree Falkland round. byastrayBritishmortar Islandwomenkilled Atotalof635ArgentinesStanley averted thecapital’sdestruction. and255Britonsdiedinthe serious battletookplaceatGooseGreen onEastFalkland, buttheArgentine army’ssurrender at landed atSanCarlos Bay,routingill-trainedandpoorlysupplied Argentine conscripts. The most a hero,buthenever anticipated BritishPrimeMinister Margaret Thatcher’s decisive response. invaded thenearlyundefended Falklands. The seizure brieflyunited Argentina andmadeGaltieri would invadetheFalklands, sayingthatthetwocountries were ona‘collisioncourse.’ late 2007revealed HaroldWilsonin1976thatArgentina thatBritishofficials warnedPrimeMinister after 1976gave Falklanders goodreason to fear increasing Argentine presence. FCO ofsecretly arranging transfer oftheislandstoArgentina. They mayhave beencorrect. oftown.ConcernedaboutArgentina’s chronicpoliticalinstability,Falklandersparts suspected the then).Afterward, theguerrillasbrieflyoccupiedthe Stanleyracecourse(theislandshadnoairport earlier, right-wing anAerolíneas guerrillashadhijacked Argentinas jetliner,whichcrash-landedon in matters affecting Falklands fuelsupplies,shippingandeven immigration. transportation, Carlos Onganíahadreached anagreement, tobegin in1971,thatgave Argentina asignificantvoice British Foreign (FCO)andArgentina’s militarygovernment &CommonwealthOffice ofGeneralJuan British governments never publiclyacknowledgedthatclaimuntilthelate 1960s. Bythen,the Although Argentina hadpersistently affirmeditsclaimtotheFalklands since1833, successive THE FALKLANDS WAR Hotel (todayconverted toflats). British troopsmarchedinhehadalready backadoublewhiskyattheUplandGoose knocked oftheArgentine surrender,forces –hefamouslystrolledintoStanleyahead andbefore the (1983).Hastings,aLondonjournalist,wasintheFalklandsand SimonJenkins withtheBritish a hard-hittingexaminationbyHughBicheno(2006);or AKADILNSILSMLIA • Hsoy FALKLAND ISLANDS/ISLASMALVINAS ••History This processdraggedonformore War thanadecade,duringwhichArgentina’s brutalDirty inBritainsawtheArgentineIslanders andtheirsupporters presence asominous. Onlyafew years For more information,read oneofthesebooks: Some ofthewar’slongest-lasting legaciesare the25,000Argentine landminesthatrender despite Britain’ssubstantialnavallosses.The fightwasone-sided, ExperiencedBritishtroops The crashcameonApril2,1982,whenthemilitarygovernment ofGeneralLeopoldo Galtieri Still, theBritishgovernment dithered. government Official papersreleased forthefirsttimein Razor’s Edge:The UnofficialHistoryoftheFalklands War bySirLawrence Freedman of (2vols., 2005),part The Falklands War1982 be struggling. been so manyof the new Falkland landowners have with asteep long-term dropinwoolprices, couraging localfarm ownership coincided about 12,000hectares. Unfortunately, en- are about90owner-occupied farmsaveraging population wasdecliningsteadily. Nowthere 35 farmsintheFalklands, andtheislands’ the Falklands War,there were onlyabout morecome even rapidsince1982.Priorto rates ofhigh emigration.Change hasbe- holdings wasencouraged inorder toslow andsubdivisionofwhen thesale large land- ofalmost devoid parks and reserves. a few outlyingislands,theFalklands todayare Things begantochange inthelate 1970s Battle fortheFalklands by Martin Middlebrook byMartin byMaxHastings lonelyplanet.com ,