Falkland Islands: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

The Falkland Islands are a group of islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 kilometres east of the southern tip of South America. They are made up of two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, and hundreds of smaller ones. The islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory, and Argentina also claims them under the name Islas Malvinas. The capital is Stanley, and only about 3,500 people live there. The Falklands are known for penguins, seabirds, sheep farms and wide, windy landscapes.

On My Earth Toy you can see Christ Church Cathedral in Stanley, the southernmost Anglican cathedral in the world, with an arch made from the jawbones of blue whales standing in front.

Geography and nature

The islands have rolling hills, rocky ridges called stone runs, peat bogs and white sandy beaches, but almost no native trees. The climate is cool and windy all year, with little difference between summer and winter. The islands are a paradise for wildlife: five kinds of penguins breed here, including king, gentoo, rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, and the Falklands host most of the world's black-browed albatrosses. Elephant seals and sea lions rest on the beaches.

People and life on the islands

English is the main language, and most Falkland Islanders have British ancestry, with some families who have lived on the islands for many generations. Outside Stanley, the countryside is called 'Camp', where people live on large sheep farms. Fishing licences, sheep farming and tourism are the main sources of income. Children on remote farms have sometimes been taught by radio, telephone or travelling teachers.

History in a nutshell

The islands had no known native inhabitants. In the 1700s France, Britain and Spain set up settlements, and later Argentina claimed the islands too. Britain took control in 1833, and they have been governed by Britain since then. In 1982 Argentina invaded the islands, and after a short war Britain regained them in June 1982. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty, while the islanders voted in 2013 to remain a British Overseas Territory.