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World > South America >
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) > Geography (Facts)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) - Geography (Facts) |
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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: |
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) (2005) |
Irrigated land: |
NA |
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 1986 Chornobyl disaster |
Geography - note: |
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season |
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