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Updates: 

I've updated the population figure to the 2006 census. Data from earlier censuses can be found at the falklands.info  site.

Country overview: 

Short name	FALKLAND ISLANDS
ISO code	FK
FIPS code	FK
Language	English (en)
Time zone	-4 ~
Capital	Stanley

 

The Falkland Islands have been a British colony throughout the 20th century. The relationship between the Falkland Islands and other British possessions in the area has varied. From 1908 to 1962, Falkland Islands Dependencies consisted of South Georgia, the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula, and the Palmer Archipelago. On 1962-03-03, the United Kingdom formed a new colony called British Antarctic Territory, incorporating that part of the territories south of the parallel of 60° South. Since the Antarctic Treaty had already been ratified, the British Antarctic Territory should be considered part of the Antarctica listing at that point. Under a new constitution which took effect on 1985-10-03, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are no longer a dependency of the Falkland Islands. FIPS reflected this change by creating a new country entry and code for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and also by changing the code for Falkland Islands from FA to the present FK.

Argentina, which calls them the Islas Malvinas, has claimed them since the 19th century. It asserted its claim by invasion in 1982, but was defeated. If Argentina's claim were accepted, the islands would be part of the territory of Tierra del Fuego.

Other names of country: 

1. Dutch: Falklandeilanden
2. French: Îles fp Falkland, Îles fp Malouines
3. German: Falklandinseln, Malwinen
4. Icelandic: Falklandseyjar
5. Italian: Isole Falkland, Isole Malvine
6. Norwegian: Falklandsøyene
7. Portuguese: Ilhas fp Malvinas fp
8. Russian: Фолклендские острова
9. Spanish: Islas fp Malvinas, Islas fp Falkland
10. Swedish: Falklandsöarna
11. Turkish: Falkland adaları

Origin of name: 

after Falkland Sound (between East and West Falkland), which was named in 1690 for Viscount Lucius Cary Falkland, treasurer of British Navy. 18th-century seal hunters called them "Îles Malouines" after their home port, Saint-Malo.

Primary subdivisions: 

Falkland Islands has no known administrative divisions.

Division	HASC	Population	Area(km.²)	Area(mi.²)
Falkland Islands	FK.FK	2,478	12,200	4,700
Status: This division is the whole of the country, treated as a division for compatibility. HASC: Hierarchical administrative subdivision code. Population: 2006-10-08 census

Postal codes: 

According to address expert Graham Rhind , the postal code for Falkland Islands in the U.K. system is FIQQ 1ZZ.

Territorial extent: 

Falkland Islands includes the main islands of East Falkland and West Falkland, and a number of nearby smaller islands, of which the farthest out are Beauchêne Island and the Jason Islands.