Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina
Geographic coordinates:
51 45 S, 59 00 W
Map references:
South America
Area:
Area - comparative: Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline: Maritime claims:
Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: Land use:
Irrigated land: Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Geography - note:
total:
12,173 sq km
country comparison to the world: 165
land:
12,173 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note:
includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
slightly smaller than Connecticut
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
1,288 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea:
12 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Usborne 705 m
fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
other:
100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2011)
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
strong winds persist throughout the year
overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season