Geography
In News: India reiterates support to Argentina for resumption of talks on the Malvinas issue.
- Falkland Islands, also called Malvinas Islands or Spanish Islas Malvinas, internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic Ocean.
- It lies about 300 miles northeast of the southern tip of South America and a similar distance east of the Strait of Magellan.
- The capital and major town is Stanley, on East Falkland, there are also several scattered small settlements as well as a Royal Air Force base that is located at Mount Pleasant.
History of the Falkland Islands
- In 1820 the Argentina Government, which had declared its independence from Spain in 1816, proclaimed its sovereignty over the Falklands.
- In early 1833, a British force expelled the few remaining Argentine officials from the island without firing a shot. In 1841, a British civilian lieutenant governor was appointed for the Falklands, and by 1885 a British community of some 1,800 people on the islands was self-supporting.
- Argentina regularly protested Britain’s occupation of the islands.
- After World War II (1939-45) the issue of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands shifted to the United Nations (UN) when, in 1964, the islands’ status was debated by the UN committee on decolonization.
- In 1965, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution inviting Britain and Argentina to hold discussions to find a peaceful solution to the dispute.
- These protracted discussions were still proceeding in February 1982, but in April Argentina’s military government invaded the Falklands.
- This act started the Falkland Islands War, which ended 10 weeks later with the surrender of the Argentine forces at Stanley to British troops who had forcibly reoccupied the islands.
- Although Britain and Argentina reestablished full diplomatic relations in 1990, the issue of sovereignty remained a point of contention.
- In the early 21st century Britain continued to maintain some 2,000 troops on the islands.
- In a referendum held in March 2013, islanders voted nearly unanimously to remain a British overseas territory.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Q.1) Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue with Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news? (2022)
- It is generally believed that they are artificial islands made by a country around South China Sea.
- China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea.
- A permanent American military base has been set up there to help Taiwan to increase its defence capabilities.
- Though International Court of Justice declared them as no man’s land, some South-East Asian countries claim them.
