Falkland Islands

• Tuesday, March 31st 2015 - 08:52 UTC

  Falklands' defense: Argentina formalizes complaint to UN and regional groups

  

  Argentina dispatched on Monday complaint letters to several international and regional organizations accusing the United Kingdom of further militarizing the Falklands/Malvinas, with an increased budget, alleging Argentina represents a 'live threat' to the Islanders in the British Overseas Territory and thus ignoring tens of resolutions calling for dialogue between the two sides on the Falklands issue.

• Tuesday, March 31st 2015 - 08:41 UTC

  Falklands' clearance of Argentine mines planned to restart in mid-September

  

  The Falkland Islands program to clear mines planted by the invading Argentine forces in 1982, is scheduled to take a break at the end of April, following a very successful task all along summer according to Guy Marot, Program Manager for the Falkland Islands Demining Program Office, as reported in the FIG's edition of February.

• Monday, March 30th 2015 - 07:13 UTC

  Falklands economy main contributor is fishing industry: 34% of GDP in 2012

  

  Measured by GDP, fishing is the most important industry in the Falkland Islands and in 2012 contributed 34% to GDP, according to the State of the Falklands Economy report from the FIG Policy Unit.

• Monday, March 30th 2015 - 06:58 UTC

  Falklands' oil industry advances despite the fall in oil prices, according to FT

  

  A recent piece from the Financial Times points to the fact that despite the remoteness of the Falkland Islands, the fall of international oil prices and the ongoing conflict with Argentina, this has not impeded small oil and gas companies from going ahead with exploration, and hopefully before 2020 production, in the Islands waters.

• Saturday, March 28th 2015 - 10:21 UTC

  HMS Lancaster takes over from HMS Dragon in South Atlantic patrol tasking

  

  Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster sailed from her home in Portsmouth last week for a routine nine-month Atlantic patrol tasking, which includes the Falklands and South Georgia. She is the first ship in the Royal Navy to deploy with the new Wildcat helicopter, and her crew are wearing the newest naval uniform in 70 years.

• Saturday, March 28th 2015 - 09:47 UTC

  Falklands' conflict hypothesis: Argentine Mirages are banned from flying on cloudy days

  

  The Argentine government and media agree that the country does not have the military capacity to attack the Falkland Islands as feared by Britain. A report in daily La Nacion points out the Argentine armed forces lack landing crafts, troop transport vessels and even the Mirage fighter planes are banned from flying on cloudy days because of repeated problems with their instruments.

• Thursday, March 26th 2015 - 14:41 UTC

  Falklands' main import trading partner is the UK with 87% of all goods

  

  The United Kingdom is the main import trading partner of the Falkland Islands with 87% of all imported goods coming from the UK in 2012 (Customs and Immigration 2013) with the rest imported mostly from Chile and Uruguay, according to the latest report on the Falklands' “State of the Economy”.

• Thursday, March 26th 2015 - 08:02 UTC

  Falklands reassured by UK commitment to defense and by House support

  

  The Falkland Islands elected Legislative Assembly welcomed the statement of Secretary of Defense before the House of Commons and said it was reassuring that the UK government remains committed to the defense of the Islands, and equally significant the strong support received by the secretary from members of Parliament.

• Thursday, March 26th 2015 - 07:48 UTC

  Falklands' defense expenditure increase' will be taken before the UN, says Argentina

  

  Argentina will take the United Kingdom before the United Nations Decolonization Committee following London's announcement it was increasing expenditure on the Falkland Islands defense, said Foreign minister Hector Timerman on Wednesday.

• Wednesday, March 25th 2015 - 21:35 UTC

  Falklands releases “State of the Economy” and “Living Wage” reports

  

  The Falkland Islands has released two new documents, the Islands State of the Economy and on income needed to comfortably cover all of a household's expenses. The Falklands enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the Americas with low inflation and virtually full employment.