Location:
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 500 km east of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 12,173 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 12,173 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 164

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,288 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive fishing zone country ranks ]

Climate:
cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 60 cm in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but typically does not accumulate

Terrain:
rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources:
fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use:
agricultural land: 92.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 92.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 7.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
NA
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
a very small population, with most residents living in and around Stanley

Natural hazards:
strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:
overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer - introduced to the islands in 2001 from South Georgia - are part of a farming effort to produce specialty meat and diversify the islands' economy; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chornobyl disaster; grazing threatens important habitats including tussac grass and its ecosystem with penguins and sea lions; soil erosion from fires

Geography - note:
deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season