THE FALKLAND ISLANDS AND DEPENDENCIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83B00231R000100180001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 17, 2007
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 1, 1982
• Content Type: REPORT

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Directorate of
Intelligence
The Falkland Islands
and Dependencies
A Geographical Reference Aid
Confidential
Confidential
GI 82-10075
April 1982
Copy 512
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The Falkland Islands
and Dependencies
A Geographic Reference Aid
Information available as of 7 April 1982
has been used in the preparation of this report.
Geography Division, Office of Global Issues.
Comments and queries are welcome and may be
directed to the Chief, Africa-Latin America Branch,
The author of this paper is
This paper was coordinated with the National
Intelligence Council
Confidential
GI 82-10075
April 1982
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 Approved For Release 2007/12/17: CIA-RDP83B00231 R0001 00180001-4
The Falkland Islands
and Dependencies
A Geographic Reference Aid
Information available as of 7 April 1982
has been used in the preparation of this report.
Geography Division, Office of Global Issues.
Comments and queries are welcome and may be
directed to the Chief, Africa-Latin America Branch,
The author of this paper is
This paper was coordinated with the National
Intelligence Council
Confidential
GI 82-10075
April 1982
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Climate. In these bleak islands, strong, cold westerly
winds prevail throughout the year. Stanley, the only
place where long-term metoerological records have
been kept, receives an annual precipitation of about
670 mm (26 inches). Skies are usually cloudy and
humidity is invariably high; precipitation occurs on
more than half the days of every month of the year.
Snow may fall during any month but even in winter
does not remain on the ground for long periods.
Average daily temperatures during July, the coldest
month, range from -1 ? to 4? Celsius; during Janu-
ary, the warmest month, the range is from 6? to 13?
Celsius. Winds average more than 15 knots.
Vegetation. The natural vegetation, limited to grasses,
heath, and small shrubs, offers little cover or conceal-
ment. Trees do not grow naturally in the cold, windy
climate, and those that are planted usually die. Broad
areas in the uplands are practically barren. The
grasses are the single most important resource of the
islands, as they provide pasturage for sheep. Peat,
available in abundance, is dried and used as a heating
Harbors, Beaches, and Landing Places. Although the
bays and inlets provide many safe anchorages, the
only port for oceangoing vessels is at Stanley. Its
protected harbor is entered via Port William, an
anchorage suitable for ships of all draughts. Larger
vessels are prevented from entering Stanley harbor by
shallow depths and limited turning space; they must
remain in Port William and transfer cargo by smaller
craft. Many of the small settlements have jetties to
serve the boats that ply back and forth to Stanley
bringing in supplies and carrying out bales of wool for
Climatic Indicators for Stanley
I I I I I I I I I I I I I
Average
Max.
Temp.
Average
Min.
Temp.
The People. The total population of the Falkland
Islands prior to the Argentine takeover was approxi-
mately 1,825. About 1,075 of the inhabitants lived in
Stanley; the rest lived in some 30 or more settlements
on East Falkland, West Falkland, and a dozen smaller
islands. The native population is almost wholly Brit-
ish, many of Scottish origin. Working-age males
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predominate because of a net emigration of females
and immigration of males between the ages of 15 and
64. Almost half the male population is employed in
the sheep- farming industry. Labor shortages have
been a critical problem, and contract labor has com-
monly been brought in from the United Kingdom
Over the past 50 years the population has gradually
declined from a high of about 2,400 in 1931, as many
of the young people have sought opportunities else-
where. The small settlements have suffered most of
the decline; the population of Stanley has remained
fairly stable. Living standards are good, and the
inhabitants overwhelmingly favor retaining their ties
to the United Kingdom.
Economy. Sheep farming has long been the most
important economic activity in the Falklands. Today
there are more than 640,000 sheep on the islands. The
wool, which is of high quality, is exported to the
United Kingdom. Whales and seals were exploited
extensively in and around the islands, particularly
during the 19th century, but the last whaling station,
on South Georgia, ceased operating in the early
1960s. In spite of the potentially good fishing grounds
south and east of the islands, no commercial fishing
industry has developed. A few people fish part-time to
supplement their incomes and provide fish for local
consumption
There are no important mineral resources on the
Falkland Islands proper, but there has been much
speculation about petroleum deposits offshore be-
tween the islands and the Argentine coast. The most
recent geophysical information does not support opti-
mism that these deposits are of great economic impor-
tance. Significant finds might still be made, but
commercial development would be difficult and ex-
pensive because of the unfavorable operating condi-
tions.
The Dependencies
The Dependencies of the Falkland Islands include
South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, Shag
Rocks, Clerke Rocks, and several other scattered
rocks and islets. A cold, inhospitable climate and a
lack of natural resources discourage habitation. Sci-
entific stations are the only permanent settlements in
the Dependencies.
South Georgia, the largest island of the Dependencies,
is located 725 nautical miles east-southeast of the
Falkland Islands. Rugged and mountainous, with
elevations as high as 2,934 meters, it is covered
entirely by snow and glaciers much of the year. In
summer (December-February) the snow line may rise
Confidential
to 450 meters. Vegetation on the island consists of a
few species of grasses, lichens, and mosses; the only
land mammals are reindeer, introduced in the early
part of this century, which now number about 2,000.
The irregular, deeply indented coast provides many
safe anchorages, and the island once had whaling
stations at Leith, Grytviken, and several other sites.
The stations have fallen into disuse with the decline of
whaling activities in the region and the development
of whaling factory ships. A British scientific station
at Grytviken, the only permanently inhabited place
on the island, was captured by Argentine forces on
3 April.
The South Sandwich Islands are a string of rugged,
steep-sided, volcanic islands lying about 350 nautical
miles southeast of South Georgia. Unlike South Geor-
gia, this group includes few anchorages, and most of
the places that are suitable for landing are subject to
continuing volcanic activity. In 1976 Argentina set up
a scientific base on. Southern Thule, the southernmost
island of the chain. British protests resulted in a
mutual agreement that Argentine scientific activity in
the area had no sovereignty implications.
25X1
The South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands,
and other lands within the British-claimed sector of
the Antarctic were separated from the Falkland Is-
land Dependencies in 1962 and are now administered 25X1
as the British Antarctic Territory.F I
Other Jurisdictional Implications
Besides the question of sovereignty over the Falkland
Islands themselves, occupation of the islands has
implications for jurisdictional claims over ocean re-
sources in a broad region around the Falklands and in
Antarctica. At stake are some potentially good fishing
grounds that fall within the 200-mile economic zones
around the islands, and the resources of the wide
continental shelf en which the islands are located. The
Argentines believe that their claims in Antarctica,
which overlap those of the United Kingdom, are
reinforced by possession of territory immediately to
the north.
25X1
The long dispute between Argentina and Chile over
sovereignty issues in the area of the Beagle Channel
may also be strongly affected by the outcome of the
current crisis in the Falklands. The success of Argen- 25X1
tina's invasion of the Falklands may tempt it to use
military force rather than diplomacy to achieve its
objectives in the Beagle Channel area
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Falkland Islands Chronology '
1592 English navigator John Davis reaches the Falkland Islands.
1598 Sebald van Weert, a Dutch navigator, sails along the northern shore of the
Falklands and probably visits some of the islands, perhaps the Jasons.
,1690 Capt. John Strong makes the first recorded landing on the Falklands and names
the sound between the two main islands "Fawkland Sound"-a name soon
associated with the island group as a whole.
1764 Louis de Bouginville, sailing under a French flag, establishes a settlement on East
'Falkland.
1765 Capt. John Byron, sent out on a survey expedition, claims the islands for Great
Britain and leaves a small party on Saunders Island.
1766 The French settlement on East Falkland is, under pressure, transferred to Spain.
1767 Spaniards raise flag on East Falkland; the French name for the islands,
Malouines, is hispanicized on Spanish documents to Islas Malvinas.
1770 Spanish warships bombard the settlement on Saunders Island and force the British
to abandon the islands. Spain maintains unbroken line of governors in Falklands
from 1767 to 1810.
1810-20 Argentina gains independence from Spain and claims sovereignty over the
Falklands; the first Argentine Government official is sent to the islands in 1820.
1828-31 Buenos Aires grants Louis Vernet, a Frenchman, certain rights over exploitation of
resources on the island. Vernet seizes several US sealing vessels for alleged
violations of fishing rights.
1831 US corvette Lexington lays waste to the Argentine settlement on East Falkland
and proclaims the islands "free of all governance."
1833 Great Britain, which has never renounced its claims to sovereignty, sends warship
Clio to retake islands. Argentine flag is lowered and long British rule commences.
1966 A group of Argentines, apparently acting without the approval of their govern-
ment, attempt unsuccessfully to invade the islands. When they return to
Argentina, they are greeted as heroes.
1982 Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.
' The historical record on which this chronology is based is incomplete and subject to dispute.
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Confidential
Confidential
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