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GovernmentCountry name
Conventional long form None
Conventional short form Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Dependency status
Overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina Government type
NA
Capital
Name Stanley
Geographic coordinates 51 42 S, 57 51 W Time difference UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Daylight saving time +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April Administrative divisions
None (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Independence
None (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Constitution
1 January 2009
Legal system
English common law and local statutes Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of government Governor Nigel HAYWOOD (since 16 October 2010) is the Queen's representative; Chief Executive Keith PADGETT (since 1 February 2012) Cabinet Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor; the governor must obey the rulings of the Executive Council on domestic affairs Elections The monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief executive appointed by the governor Legislative branch
Unicameral Legislative Assembly (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; members to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor Elections Last held on 5 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013) Election results Percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8 Judicial branch
Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction Political parties and leaders
None; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders
Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes) International organization participation
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the us
None (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the us
None (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Flag description
Blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once 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 National symbol(s)
Ram
National anthem
Name "Song of the Falklands""
Lyrics/music Christopher LANHAM Note Adopted 1930s; the song is the local unofficial anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
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Falkland Islands ( Islas Malvinas ) [ United Kingdom ] (Overseas Territory):
 
GPS points from Falkland Islands ( Islas Malvinas ) [ United Kingdom ] (Overseas Territory)
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Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. With hostilities ended and Argentine forces withdrawn, UK administration resumed.