• Contested territories
  • Area 12,000 km²
  • Claimed by Argentina, United Kingdom
  • Population 3,398
  • Motto Desire the Right

The Falkland Islands, or The Malvinas as they are called in Argentina, lie 480 km off the Patagonian shore in the South Atlantic Ocean. They were named by captain John Strong, who landed on them in 1690. There are two main islands, West and East Falkland and about 776 smaller ones. They have been officially under British control since 1771, but this is contested by Argentina, who laid a claim when they gained independence from Spain in 1816. This dispute resulted in a war between the two countries in 1982 in which 900 people were killed. Argentina surrendered after 74 days and since then the islands status as Overseas British Territory remains.