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The Falklands/Malvinas: Past, present and the future

Michael Harte with material from Harry Keys and Karen Williams

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V

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Falkland Islands (420), 12,000 sq km Tasmania 68,400 sq km, Belgium 30,500 sq km, New Hampshire USA 24,000 sq km

Did indigenous people discover and/or settle in the Falklands? • Suitable currents and only 500 km from South American landmasses (c.f. NZ) • Harpoon-spear and canoe of Fuegan design found but no unequivocal evidence (e.g. middens) of indigenous settlement • Islands were uninhabited when discovered by Europeans

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Who discovered the Falklands?

• Claims of discovery by Europeans- Spanish (1540), Portugese and English (1590 or 1592) • No consensus among historians 1690 John Strong’s Welfare

Naming & 1st landing

• 1690: English Captain John Strong in the ship Welfare 1st documented landing: named Falkland Sound • 1708: The name first used • 1764: Îles Malouines (St Malo) — given to the islands by French explorer Bougainville Named Falkland Sound, channel separating the islands in honour of • The Spanish name Islas his sponsor Anthony Cary, 5th Malvinas, evolved from the Viscount Falkland French, a century later

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Port Egmont, (Saunders Island) 1765/66 Port Louis 1764 Apparently these settlements were not aware of each other initially

1766 France surrendered its claim and jurisdiction to Spain, which renamed the French colony 1816 claim by the Argentine confederation (becoming independent) to Spain's territories in the South Atlantic

When and why jurisdiction became controversial? • Started when Spain Mike photo discovered Port Egmont then captured it in 1770 • Spain ceded its claim to Britain in 1771 • But they still held to Treaty of Utrecht (c1450AD) which divided South America only between Spain and • 1774-1830s economic misfortunes of Britain, European wars, resource management and [post] colonial tensions all stoked the fires

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Resettlement, regulation, widening dispute

• 1823-1829 supported German-born merchant Luis Vernet to develop a permanent colony and regulate foreign whalers and sealers • 1831 dispute over hunting rights led to raid by US warship Ø declaration that the island was “free of government” Falklands settlement 1824

1832-1840: a key period • 1832 Argentine confederation installed a garrison reasserting rule but a mutiny may have destabilised it • 1833 British force reasserted rule then left • Vernet’s deputy and other settlement leaders murdered by gauchos • British force restored law • 1840 British crown colony established & Scottish settlers established farms

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“Miserable boghole” - Stanley 1849

Ongoing dispute, economic decline, possible solution

• Argentina continued to object to Britain’s recolonisation • After WW2, the economy was affected by declining wool prices, political uncertainty and hence population decline • 1966-1968, 1977-1981: UK Argentina had confidential discussions about possible transfer of jurisdiction

WW2 gun emplacement near Port Stanley

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Falklands/Malvinas war April-June 1982 ¨ April: Argentina invades South Georgia & Falklands: domestic situation in Argentina a contributing factor ¨June: UK forces retaliate and reoccupy, leaving expanded military presence ¨2012: 1,300 military personnel, 50 MOD civil servants and 500 civilians

Minefields

• 134 minefields where Argentina forces thought the British forces might land • Areas of coastline still out of bounds • Now slowly being cleared again

Signs at Gypsy Cove

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35 years after the war

Falklands/Malvinas status

• A British Overseas Territory, making its own laws, raising own taxes, deciding own budget • UK view- occupancy since 1833; islanders wishes in accordance with UN charter of rights to self determination • Argentina view- acquired the Falklands from Spain in 1816, considers that the UK illegally occupied them in 1833; islanders do not have self determination rights because islands are Argentina

March 2013 referendum: 99.8% voters favoured remaining under British rule

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Much more to FI than garden gnomes, cute houses & penguins!

Today

• Nearly 3,000 residents in 2016 • Majority Island born and living in Stanley, identifying as FI or “British”,10% St Helena, 6.4% Chile, + France, Gibraltar, Scandinavia • Full employment • Free health care • Free education (including university)

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Economy

Fishing • Fishing accounts for 40% Trade, hospitality of all economic activity & Coms & 60% of FIG income Finance Govt • No government debt

Agriculture (~ 200 GBP million in FIG reserves) Construction

Transport • Fully funded compulsory “private” pension scheme Other • National income ~ £35,000/person • Financially self-sufficient

Stanley

• Capital city • Village parish, international responsibilities • Port facilities • Shopping • Oil operations • Churches • Schools • Hospital

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Camp & Islands • Cultural identity of Islands • Wool • Meat, lamb and mutton • Tourism • Population declined, now stable ~ 400 • Settlements in the East and West - extensive road network • Outer-Islands depend on FIGAS, shipping service

Defense • UK maintains a military base ~ 3,000 people • Combined navy, air force, army command • Little impact on economy – kept separate • Falkland Island Defense Force – separate from UK • FIDF responsible for FI defense, fishery patrols (air and sea), terrestrial search and rescue

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Tourism

• 50,000 cruise ship passengers a year • 2,000 long stay tourists + 1,500 military tourists • Income in Stanley but 4,000 passengers crowd a town of 2,000 people! • Limited hotel beds in Stanley • Self catering in Camp • Mostly wildlife, military history and Stanley marathon

Oil and Gas A B C D F I • Drilling late 90s found no L commercial hydrocarbons • Survey in the 00s led to new R Q S drilling in 2010 and in 2012

M O P N commercial quantities found to the north • Expected to be flowing

0 50 100 KILOMETRES commercially 2018-2020 • Exploration continues in deeper Quadrants within Falkland Islands Block layout within quadrants Designated Area Falkland Islands Designated Area Falkland Islands Licence Blocks 1 2 3 4 5 A 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 waters to the south 16 17 18 19 20 Special Area of Co-operation CAA Argentine Licence Blocks 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 200 Bathymetry; contours at 200 metres, Exploration well then at 500, 1000, 2000 etc. thereafter • Game-changer for the Islands • Economic, social, environmental impacts • Managing expectations of wealth • Low oil prices have slowed development down

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Environment

• Home to vast colonies of penguins and albatrosses • Breeding grounds for sea lions, elephant seals and fur seals • 15 species of whales and dolphins • More than 160 native flowering plant species • At least 200 species of birds

Conservation Partnerships

• South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute & partners • Falkland Islands Conservation (NGO) • Private land owners (protection & restoration) • Fishing industry (fisheries conservation) • FIG Environment and Planning Dept.

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Falklands - conclusion

• Fascinating history • Immense change since 1982 • Dynamic economy • Commitment to conservation • Tremendous prospects for the future • Challenges in managing future growth and prosperity

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