South America / GoM
Country profile: Falklands
| Location: | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina. includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
| 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 |
| Size: | 12173 sq. km total (Land area: 12173 sq. km ) |
| Population: | 3,140 (July 2008 est.) |
| Languages: | English |
| Government: | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina |
| Capital city: | Stanley |
| Legal system: | English common law |
| Currency: | Falkland pound (FKP) |
| Licensing: |
Country profile
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 an Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.
Energy production and consumption
| Oil | Gas | |
| Production: | ||
| Consumption: | 240 bbl/day (2005 est.) | |
| Exports: | ||
| Imports: | 227 bbl/day (2005 est.) | |
| Reserves: | ||
| Major fields: |
Falklands - recent news
| 12 Oct 26 |
Falklands: Borders & Southern Petroleum has raised £2 million to advance the continued development of its 100% held Darwin gas condensate discovery AIM-listed Borders & Southern Petroleum, the London based independent oil and gas company with assets offshore the Falkland Islands, has raised £2 million, before expenses, to advance the continued development of its 100% held Darwin gas condensate discovery. The Fundraising comprises a direct placing of shares to a single investor. |
| 08 Oct 26 |
Falklands: Rockhopper provides OSX-1 FPSO acquisition update Rockhopper Exploration announces that, further to its announcement of 24 August 2026 regarding the acquisition of the OSX-1 floating production, storage and offloading vessel ('FPSO') for use in the accelerated development of the Central Development Area at Sea Lion, it has entered into an agreement to acquire its 35 per cent pro rata participating interest in the OSX-1 FPSO. |
| 30 Sep 26 |
Falklands: Rockhopper announces half-year results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 AIM-listed Rockhopper Exploration, the oil and gas company with key interests in the North Falkland Basin ('NFB'), has announced its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 June 2026. |
| 29 Sep 26 |
Market Watch: Argentina threatens Britain with legal action over Falklands oilfield The president of Argentina has threatened legal action against the UK government unless it stops oil exploration off the Falkland Islands. |
| 07 Sep 26 |
Falklands: Milei threatens oil firms over Falklands development Argentina’s president has threatened economic sanctions against companies developing oil resources around the Falkland Islands as he stepped up his country’s claim to the British overseas territory. |
Falklands - more news
Other countries in this region
- Argentina,
- Aruba,
- Bahamas,
- Barbados,
- Belize,
- Bermuda,
- Bolivia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- Colombia,
- Costa Rica,
- Cuba,
- Dominican Republic,
- Ecuador,
- French Guiana,
- Grenada,
- Guatemala,
- Gulf of Mexico,
- Guyana,
- Honduras,
- Jamaica,
- Mexico,
- Nicaragua,
- Panama,
- Paraguay,
- Peru,
- Suriname,
- Trinidad,
- Uruguay,
- USA,
- Venezuela
