The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean between 51°S and 53°S on a projection of the Patagonian Shelf, part of the South American continental shelf. In ancient geological time this shelf was part of Gondwana, and around 400 million years ago split from what is now Africa and drifted westwards from it. Today the islands are subjected to the Roaring Forties, winds that shape both their geography and climate.
Stanley is the capital city of the Falkland Islands. It is located on the island of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2016 census, the city had a population of 2,460. The entire population of the Falkland Islands was 3,398 on Census Day on 9 October 2016.
The Falkland Islands wolf, also known as the warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands dog, Falkland Islands fox, warrah fox, or Antarctic wolf, was the only native land mammal of the Falkland Islands. This endemic canid became extinct in 1876, the first known canid to have become extinct in historical times.
West Falkland is the second largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. It is a hilly island, separated from East Falkland by the Falkland Sound. Its area is 4,532 square kilometres, 37% of the total area of the islands. Its coastline is 1,258.7 kilometres long.
Barren Island is one of the Falkland Islands, lying south west of East Falkland and south east of George Island. It is separated from Lafonia by Eagle Passage. Its total area is 11.5 square kilometres (4.4 sq mi).
George Island is the second largest of the Speedwell Island Group in the Falkland Islands with a land area of 24 square kilometres (9.3 sq mi). It lies south of Speedwell Island and south west of East Falkland, and is separated from Lafonia by Eagle Passage. The island is generally flat, rising no more than 18 metres (59 ft) above sea level, and there are several ponds and there is severe soil erosion in the central section. However, the island is free of rats.
The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 mi (480 km) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about 752 mi (1,210 km) from Cape Dubouzet at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km2), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, but the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is Stanley on East Falkland.
The Passage Islands are a group of four islands in the Falkland Islands of the South Atlantic Ocean. They lie off Dunnose Head, West Falkland, at the mouth of King George Bay.
Bull Point is the most southerly part of East Falkland, and of the two main islands of the Falklands. It is at the far end of Lafonia, near Eagle Passage, and forms part of the west shore of the Bay of Harbours. A 1500 ha tract has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
Eagle Passage is a strait in the Falkland Islands, between Lafonia in the southwest of East Falkland, and the smaller islands of Speedwell, Barren and George Island. George Island and Speedwell Island form the stretch of land to the south of the passage while East Falkland forms the northern stretch. The passage is difficult to navigate as ships may founder on the reefs and kelp lying off the surrounding islands.
Rabbit Island is one of the Falkland Islands in the Hummock Island group. It is near West Falkland, to its west, at the mouth of King George Bay. With a land area of 0.69 square miles (1.78 km2) it is the second largest of the three main islands in the bay, lying 2.8 miles (4.5 km) west of Hummock Island and Middle Island. It is east of the Passage Islands and south east of Split Island.
Split Island is one of the Falkland Islands. It is near West Falkland, to its west, at the mouth of King George Bay. It is to the west of Rabbit Island, Hummock Island and Middle Island. It is north of the Passage Islands and south east of Westpoint Island, and south west of the Byron Heights and Storm Mountain.
Duplicate: List of Falkland Islands–related topics
The Falklands Expedition occurred in late 1831 when the United States Navy warship USS Lexington was dispatched to investigate the seizure of three whalers at the settlement of Puerto Luis founded in the ruins of the former Spanish penal colony of Puerto Soledad by Luis Vernet. Vernet had sought to control sealing in the islands and seized the ships alleging they had violated his regulations controlling sealing in the islands. Finding one of the ships being outfitted with guns, Captain Duncan seized six of the senior officers in the settlement on charges of piracy. The damage done to the settlement is disputed. Duncan reports spiking the guns of the settlement and a powder store. Vernet was to later claim his settlement was ransacked.
Weddell Settlement is the only settlement on Weddell Island in the Falkland Islands, situated on the east coast of the island at the head of the sheltered Gull Harbour, part of Queen Charlotte Bay. It is located 12.15 kilometres (7.55 mi) northeast of Race Point, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south by west of Swan Point, 212 kilometres (132 mi) west-southwest of Stanley and 56.6 kilometres (35.2 mi) west of Fox Bay on West Falkland.
Gull Harbour is the 1.3 km wide bay indenting for 2.8 km the east coast of Weddell Island in the Falkland Islands. It is entered north of Gull Point and south of Mark Point, and is centred at 51°53′56″S60°53′20″W. The principal settlement of the island, Weddell Settlement, is situated at the head of the bay. Until the mid-nineteenth century Gull Harbour was known as Great Harbour.
Smylie Channel is the 1.4 kilometres (0.76 nmi) wide and 16 kilometres (8.6 nmi) long sea passage in the Falkland Islands between Weddell Island to the north and West Falkland and Dyke Island to the south. It is centred at 51°59′04″S61°03′48″W.
