The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. In fact, the Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory and an important transit point on the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, allowing you to control the South Atlantic. Britain's rights to the islands are disputed by Argentina, which considers them part of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the islands of the South Atlantic.
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Origin of Name
The Falkland Islands got their name from the Falkland Passage, the strait between the two main islands of the archipelago. The name for the strait was chosen by the Englishman John Strong in 1690 as a mark of respect for his patron Anthony Carey, 5th Viscount of Falkland. Later this name was extended to the whole group of islands. The Spanish name, Islas Malvinas, comes from the French name, Îles Malouines, given by Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1764 in honor of the first known island settlers, sailors and fishermen from the Breton port of Saint-Malo in France. Since the dispute over the ownership of the islands has not been finally resolved, the use of many Spanish names in the Falkland Islands is considered offensive. In particular, this applies to names associated with the invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentine troops in 1982.
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Geography
The Falkland Islands consist of two large ones (West and East Falkland) and about 776 small islands and rocks. The archipelago is located at a distance of 343 km from the Argentine island of Estados, 463 km from the coast of South America and 1078 km from the Shag Rocks (South Georgia). The total area is 12,173 km². The total length of the coastline is about 1300 km, the coast is heavily indented. The islands of West and East Falkland are separated by the Falkland Channel. The highest point of the archipelago is Mount Usborne (705 m, located on East Falkland Island), Mount Adam on West Falkland Island has a height of 700 m. There are no long rivers on the islands, but there are a large number of streams that usually flow into the nearest fjord or bay.
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Climate
The climate of the islands is characterized as temperate cool, oceanic. Western winds prevail. Temperature changes during the year are relatively small. Average monthly temperatures vary from 9°C in January and February to 2°C in June and July. The average annual temperature is about 5.6 °C. It is under the influence of powerful cold currents. One of them - Falkland (Malvinas) - follows from the Falkland Islands to La Plata Bay. The speed of the current is 1-2 km/h. The average water temperature in winter is from 4 to 10 °С, in summer from 8 to 15 °С. It carries a large number of icebergs, although icebergs are rare near the islands.
The average annual rainfall is about 574 mm, the level of precipitation is approximately constant throughout the year. The western part of the archipelago is more arid than the eastern part. Thus, the level of precipitation in Port Stanley, on the east coast, is about 630 mm, while in the extreme west of the Falkland Islands it is only about 430 mm. Snowfall can occur in winter, but it is only temporary and does not create long-term snow cover. Frequent fogs.