unications

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Europa Island Transportation

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Europa Island Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Europa Island Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

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@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Introduction

Background: Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592,
the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century
later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established
until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and
the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute,
first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina.
The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval
garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April
1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed
seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine
surrender on 14 June 1982.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Geography

Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic
Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references: South America

Area: total: 12,173 sq km

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

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain
occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year,
except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish, wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 99%

forests and woodland: 0%

other: 1% (1993 est.)

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