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Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)'s Geography | Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)s Geography
 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) MapLocation: 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: Territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: 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 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, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss Land use: Arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001) Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: Strong winds persist throughout the year Environment - current issues: 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 Chornobyl disaster Environment - international agreements: Geography - note: Deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season |
