208 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
208 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
FALKLAND ISLANDS
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(Islas Malvinas)
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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
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main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
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Comparative area: slightly smaller than Connecticut
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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
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occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year,
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except in January and February, but does not accumulate
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Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating
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plains
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Natural resources: fish and wildlife
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Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and
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pastures 99%; forest and woodland 0%; other 1%
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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: 1,968 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)
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Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: NA migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman (1991)
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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
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Church; Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day
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Adventist
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Language: English
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Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) but compulsory education age
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5 to 15 (1988)
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Labor force: 1,100 (est.); agriculture, mostly
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sheepherding about 95%
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Organized labor: Falkland Islands General Employees Union, 400
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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:
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Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
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Head of Government--Governor William Hugh FULLERTON (since NA
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1988)
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Political parties: NA
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Suffrage: universal at age 18
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Elections:
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Legislative Council--last held 11 October 1989 (next to be
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held October 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(10 total, 8 elected) number of seats by party NA
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Member of: ICFTU
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Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
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Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
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and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the
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outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep
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raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire
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(whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing
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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
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indirectly employs most of the work force. A few dairy herds are kept to
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meet domestic consumption of milk and milk products, and crops grown are
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primarily those for providing winter fodder. Exports feature shipments
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of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins.
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Rich stocks of fish in the surrounding waters are not presently exploited
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by the islanders. So far efforts to establish a domestic fishing industry
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have been unsuccessful. In 1987 the government began selling
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fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands
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exclusive fishing zone. These license fees amount to more than $40
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million per year and are a primary source of income for the
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government. To encourage tourism, the Falkland Islands Development
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Corporation has built three lodges for visitors attracted by the
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abundant wildlife and trout fishing.
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GDP: $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (1980-87 average)
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Unemployment rate: NA%; labor shortage
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Budget: revenues $62.7 million; expenditures $41.8 million,
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excluding capital expenditures of $NA (FY90)
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Exports: at least $14.7 million;
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commodities--wool, hides and skins, and other;
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partners--UK, Netherlands, Japan (1987 est.)
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Imports: at least $13.9 million;
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commodities--food, clothing, fuels, and machinery;
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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, 8,680 kWh
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per capita (1990)
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Industries: wool and fish processing
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Agriculture: predominantly sheep farming; small dairy herds;
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some fodder and vegetable crops
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Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral
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commitments (1970-88), $109 million
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Currency: Falkland pound (plural--pounds); 1 Falkland pound
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(LF) = 100 pence
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Exchange rates: Falkland pound (LF) per US$1--0.5171 (January
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1991), 0.5603 (1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817
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(1986), 0.7714 (1985); note--the Falkland pound is at par with the
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British pound
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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
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unimproved earth
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Ports: Port Stanley
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Civil air: no major transport aircraft
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Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways;
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none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
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none with runways 1,220 to 2,439 m
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Telecommunications: government-operated radiotelephone and private
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VHF/CB radio networks provide effective service to almost all points on
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both islands; 590 telephones; stations--2 AM, 3 FM, no TV; 1 Atlantic
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Ocean INTELSAT earth station with links through London to other countries
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: British Forces Falkland Islands (including Army, Royal
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Air Force, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines); Police Force
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Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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