Where is the Falkland Islands located? Falkland Islands (Malvinas): History. Government and political system of the Falkland Islands

Archipelago located in the southwestern part Atlantic Ocean, 480 km east of the coast of Argentina. Territory disputed between Great Britain and Argentina. Actually governed by Great Britain. Area 12,173 km2. Population: 2900 people. (2002). There are also 2,000 British troops permanently stationed on the islands. Official language- English. Administrative center- Port Stanley (Puerto Argentino) (1800 people, 2002). The monetary unit is the Falkland Islands pound (equal to 100 pence), pegged to the British pound sterling. The latter is used on a par with local currency.

Attractions of the Falkland Islands

Geography of the Falkland Islands

Located between 57°49′ west longitude and 5°42′ south latitude. Washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the coastline is 1288 km. The archipelago includes two large islands - East Falkland (Soledad) with an area of ​​5300 km2 and West Falkland (Gran Malvina) with an area of ​​6700 km2, as well as approx. 200 dependent small islands. East and West Falklands are separated by a narrow strait, their coastline heavily cut up.

The Falkland Islands (Malvinas) are a hilly area. The terrain is very rugged. The most high point- Mount Adam (706 m) in West Falkland.

The climate is oceanic and cool. The humidity is uniform (approx. 700 mm of precipitation per year) with strong winds and frequent fogs. December and January are the wettest months. Average annual temperatures- no higher than +10°С, January (summer) +18°С, July (winter) +3°С.

The islands are composed predominantly of Paleozoic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

Among mineral resources, it is assumed that there are large reserves of oil and gas, surpassing the oil fields of the North Sea. Peat is extracted.

There are no forests on the archipelago. Oceanic grass meadows (tussok, cortadenia), heathlands with red crowberry, and peat bogs predominate. The fauna on the islands themselves is not diverse, but the fauna of the coastal strip is very rich. Lots of seabirds and mammals. Characteristic are penguins (including king penguins), albatrosses, swans, as well as falcons and hawks; Fur seals, elephant seals and sea lions are located in extensive rookeries. The coastal waters of the archipelago are home to large herds of dolphins and killer whales; The predominant fish species are sea trout, mullet and tuna. The reserves of sea crustacean krill are huge.

Population of the Falkland Islands

In 1992 the population was 2000 people, over 10 years the population increased by 900 people. Ethnic composition- English and Scots, partly immigrants from Chile. Argentines are prohibited from settling on the islands and owning real estate on them. Main languages ​​- English, Spanish. Population density 0.2 people. per 1 km2. Urban residents - 66%, rural residents - 34%. Religion is mainly Anglican Christianity.

History of the Falkland Islands

According to Argentine sources, the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) were discovered in 1520 by the Spanish navigator Esteban Gomez from F. Magellan's flotilla; According to the British version, the archipelago was discovered by the English navigator John Davis in 1592. The first colonizers were the French (A. de Bougainville's expedition, 1764). In 1766 France ceded the islands to Spain; in 1820-33 the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) were under the sovereignty of the independent Argentine Republic. In January 1833 the islands were captured by a British naval landing. Since 1892, the archipelago has been officially declared a colony of Great Britain. April 2, 1982 Armed forces Argentina, ruled by a military regime, regained control of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Great Britain responded by launching large-scale military operations and on June 15, 1982, achieved the surrender of the Argentine garrison. The problem of the status of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) continues to exist, and the UN continues to deal with it. Argentina, having abandoned the military solution to this problem, nevertheless insists that the archipelago belongs to it; Great Britain does not consider the issue of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) a subject of debate.

Government and political system of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands (Malvinas) are declared a colonial possession of Great Britain. They are governed by an English governor (since January 1996 - Richard Ralph Stanley), accountable to his government and the Queen. Under the governor there are an Executive Council (5 members - 2 ex officio and 3 elected by the Legislative Council) and a Legislative Council (10 members - 2 ex officio and 8 elected by the population). Port Stanley is the only city in the archipelago. There is a trade union association. The Falkland Islands (Malvinas) remain a strategically important stronghold for the British Armed Forces and Navy.

Economy of the Falkland Islands

The main occupation of the population is sheep breeding (about 700 thousand heads in 2002) and fishing (mainly sea trout and tuna). Cattle (10 thousand heads in 2002) and horses (4 thousand heads) are bred. The bulk of the land is owned by large sheep companies and farmers (pastures occupy 99% of used agricultural land). Cultivated crops include oats, as well as vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, beets, onions). There are small food processing enterprises, as well as a specialized wool sorting factory. The main fuel used by the population is peat. Railways No; There are some asphalt roads (mainly on East Falkland Island). Foreign trade is entirely oriented towards Great Britain. Wool, hides, meat, fish are exported; Almost all consumer goods, machinery, equipment, building materials, food, and industrial fuel are imported. Use of travel checks and credit cards limited, but becoming increasingly popular. Tourism is developing (primarily related to visiting former places battles during the Anglo-Argentine armed conflict of 1982).

Science and culture of the Falkland Islands

Primary education is considered compulsory. There are several public primary schools. Government Broadcasting Center in Port Stanley. The administration publishes 2 monthly newspapers. A highlight in the life of the islands are summer sports competitions (horses, rodeos, shepherd dog competitions, etc.). In East Falkland, celebrations are held in Port Stanley between Christmas and New Year; in the West - in each settlement in turn at the end of February.

Falkland islands(English: Falkland Islands), in Argentina they are called Malvinas Islands(Spanish: Islas Malvinas) - picturesque archipelago in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The islands are considered the most important intermediate point on the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and, in fact, are a British overseas territory. Although Great Britain's rights to the Falkland Islands have long been disputed, they are considered part of the islands of the South Atlantic and Antarctica.

According to their origin, the islands are classified by specialists as volcanic-tectonic, formed as a result of ancient volcanic activity and underwater earthquakes that raised areas of land above the water.

The total area of ​​the islands is 12.2 thousand km², the total length of the coastline is about 1.3 thousand km. The coastline is heavily indented by bays and fjords.

The capital of the archipelago, however, and its only city is (English Stanley), which is also called Port Stanley (English Port Stanley), and the Argentine name of the city is Puerto Argentino (Spanish Puerto Argentino).

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general information

The archipelago consists of 2 large islands (West Falkland - Gran Malvina and East Falkland - Soledad) and more than 775 small islets and rocks. Among the largest islands, the following islands can be distinguished: Pebble Island (Spanish: Isla Borbon), Weddell Island (Spanish: Isla San Jose), Saunders Island (Spanish: Isla Trinidad), Lively (English: Lively Island; Spanish: Isla Bougainville), Beaver (English: Beaver Island; Spanish: Isla San Rafael), Speedwell (English: Speedwell Island; Spanish: Isla Aguila). The archipelago is located at a distance of 343 km from the Argentine island (English: Island Estados; Spanish: Isla de los Estados) and 463 km from the coast of the South American continent. The islands of Gran Malvina (Spanish: Isla Gran Malvina) and Soledad (Spanish: Isla Soledad) are separated by the Falkland Strait (Spanish: Estrecho de San Carlos).

The highest point of the archipelago is Mount Usborne (Spanish: Montaña Osborne; 705 m), located in East Falkland. In West Falkland there is Mount Adam (Spanish: Montaña Adam; 700 m). There are no long rivers on the islands, however, there are many streams.

Political structure : The islands are a British overseas territory.

The administrative center is the city of Port Stanley (in the Argentine version - Puerto Argentino), located in the north-eastern part of East Falkland. The territorial entity operating on the islands has relative autonomy, but is governed by Great Britain through an appointed Governor-General, who represents the Queen on the islands and is the head of government.

Falkland Islands - British Overseas Territory

The archipelago's legislative body is the Falkland Islands Council.

State language: Official state language is English. Most of the population speaks English language, Spanish (12%), German (0.6%) and French (0.5%) are also spoken.

More than half of the archipelago's population (66%) professes Anglican Christianity, about 2% are adherents of other religions, and 32% consider themselves non-believers.

Currency: Monetary unit: Falkland Islands pound. 1 Falkland pound = 1 pound sterling = 100 pence.
In circulation are: - banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 pounds; - coins in denominations of 1 and 2 pounds; 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 pence.

Also, British coins are legal tender on the territory of the islands included in the archipelago. Banknotes of British, Northern Irish and Scottish banks are not formally a means of payment here, but are practically widely used in circulation.

Population

The population is 3,140 thousand people, with the majority of the population (about 95%) living on East Falkland Island, about 5% on West Falkland.

Most of the island population are descendants of English, Scottish and Norwegian settlers, about 25% are more late settlers from Great Britain, from St. Helena Island - 10%, from Chile - about 6%, as well as from Germany, France and other countries (there are even a few people from Russia).

A large number of islands that make up the archipelago are uninhabited.

Historical excursion

British historians claim that the Falkland Islands were discovered in the 16th century. (during the period 1591 - 1592) by the English navigator John Davis (eng. John Davis, 1550 - 1605), who commanded the ship that was part of the expedition Thomas Cavendish(eng. Thomas Cavendish; 1560 - 1592) - British explorer and pirate. Argentines are confident that the discoverers of the archipelago were the Spaniards.

In 1763-1765 the islands were explored by a French navigator Louis Antoine de Bougainville(French Louis Antoine comte de Bougainville; 1729 - 1811), who led the 1st French expedition around the world. In 1764, he founded the settlement of Saint-Louis in East Falkland, which became the first settlement on the islands.

British naval commander John Byron (eng. John Byron; 1723 -1786; grandfather of the famous poet, who went down in history as the discoverer of new lands), who did not suspect the presence of the French on the islands, explored Saunders Island in 1765. Sir Byron immediately declared the island a possession of the British crown, establishing a small settlement on it, which he named in honor of the Earl of Egmont (English: Port Egmont). In 1766, British captain John MacBride (ca. 1735 - 1800), who followed Byron in arriving here with a group of settlers, founded a full-fledged large British settlement here. At the end of 1766, Spain bought their possessions on the islands from the French, approving its governor. In 1770, Port Egmont was attacked and captured by a small Spanish fleet, then in 1771 it was returned to the British under the terms of the peace treaty.

In 1774, the British had to leave Port Egmont, which Spain took advantage of, establishing itself in the archipelago, including them in the Governorate of La Plata (Spanish: Gobernacion del Río de la Plata).

In 1832, Argentina, having gained independence from Spanish rule, seized the archipelago, establishing a camp for especially dangerous criminals in East Falkland. A riot soon broke out in the colony, which escalated into a massacre, during which part of the garrison and the Argentine governor were killed. Under the guise of restoring order on the islands, the British landed here at the end of 1933 and finally declared them their territory.

During World War II, the Falkland Islands served as a base for the British fleet in the South Atlantic.

In the post-war years, the archipelago became the subject of bitter disagreements between the two countries, Argentina and Great Britain, which escalated into armed conflict in 1982.

In April of the same year, Argentine troops occupied the islands. In response to these actions, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ordered the Navy to return the occupied territories. By April 25, a group of troops and warships had recaptured one of the islands, after which the British Navy blocked the remaining territories with ships and submarines.

British troops (paratroopers, Marines and SAS special forces) numbering 4 thousand people under the command of Julian Thompson, from May 22 to 23, landed on the coast near the city of San Carlos. The special forces attacked the airfield on Pebble Island, captured the villages of Goose Green and Darwin and destroyed a unit of Argentine commandos on the heights of Kent. In June, the British landed another 5 thousand people on the islands, after which the assault on Port Stanley began, and the city was liberated on June 12. Realizing the hopelessness of his situation, General Pedro Mendez, commander of the Argentine forces, capitulated on June 14.

As a result of the defeat of Argentina, the junta fell and power changed in the country. Britain has strengthened its international image. However, Argentina has not yet given up its claims to the archipelago.

In the 2013 referendum, the inhabitants of the islands confirmed their belonging to Great Britain by an almost absolute majority (99.8%).

Today, the Falklands are a self-governing British territory, but Argentina continues to claim them to this day.

origin of name

The islands got their name from the Falkland Strait, located between the 2 main islands of the archipelago. The name of the strait was chosen by the English navigator John Strong, who discovered it in 1690, naming it in honor of his patron, Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount of Falkland (English Anthony Cary, viscount of Falkland; 1656– 1694). Later this name spread to the entire group of islands.

The Spanish version of the name (Spanish: Islas Malvinas) comes from the French (French: Îles Malouines), given in 1764 by Captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville in memory of the first settlers - sailors and fishermen from the French port town of Saint-Malo (French. Saint-Malo), located on the English Channel coast.

Climate

The climate of the islands is oceanic, moderately cool, with a characteristic predominance of westerly winds. Temperature changes throughout the year are quite insignificant: average monthly temperatures vary from +9°C in January-February to +2°C in June-July. The average annual temperature is about +6°C.

Port Stanley

The climate of the archipelago is significantly influenced by powerful cold currents, one of which - the Falkland (or Malvinas) - follows from the Falkland Islands to the bay (Spanish: La Plata) at a speed of 1-2 km/h. Usually average temperature water in winter ranges from +4°C to +10°C, in summer - from +8°C to +15°C. Precipitation levels are almost constant throughout the year, however, the western part of the archipelago is much drier than the eastern. Fogs are frequent here, and snow sometimes falls in winter, without, however, creating a snow cover.

Economy

Initially, the economy of the archipelago was based on whaling and ship maintenance, and then (1870–1980) it became entirely based on sheep farming. Today, the islands' economy is primarily dependent on sheep farming (horses and cattle are also raised here), agriculture, industrial fishing, the fish processing industry, and, in recent years, tourism. More than 80% of the archipelago's territory is occupied by pastures, on which about 500 thousand sheep graze. About 60% of the herds are in East Falkland, the remaining 40% in West Falkland. There are abattoirs in East Falkland. Today the Falkland Islands are major exporter high quality wool, going mainly to the UK.

Today, exploration drilling is underway on the shelf of the islands, where large oil deposits have been discovered.

Transport

The islands' road network is approximately 790 km, although until 1982 there were no roads outside Stanley.

The main transportation on the archipelago is carried out by air and by water transport. Air service connects the islands with other countries of the world. There are 2 airports here, one of which is Mount Pleasant Airport, located 48 km from the capital, it serves international flights and is also used as a British military base. The second airport (Port Stanley Airport) is located in the vicinity of Port Stanley, it serves domestic flights, and also communicates through it with British military bases located in Antarctica.

The archipelago has 2 sea ​​ports: Port Stanley (English: Port Stanley; East Falkland) and Fox Bay (English: Fox Bay; West Falkland). The two main islands are connected ferry crossings. In 1915-1916 A railway line (English Camber Railway) about 6 km long was laid in East Falkland, which was used until the 20s. last century. Public transport There is no service on the islands, there are only taxis.

Flora and fauna of the archipelago

Biogeographically, the islands of the archipelago belong to the Antarctic eco-zone; there is a fairly strong connection with the Patagonian flora and fauna, due to the identity of the climate. The only land mammal native to the islands was the Falkland fox, which, with the beginning of active colonization in the mid-19th century, was completely destroyed by the colonists. The coastal waters are home to more than 14 species of marine mammals, including seals and fur seals, which mainly roost on rocks and small uninhabited islands. More than 60 species of seabirds nest on the islands, among which the black-browed albatross can be distinguished - almost 60% of the nesting sites of this species in the world are located on the islands. In addition, there are 5 species of penguins, the most interesting being the endemic Northern Rockhopper Penguin, which is especially fond of Saunders Island.

King penguins

Interestingly, not a single species of reptiles or amphibians lives on the islands, but more than 200 species of insects, about 43 species of arachnids and more than 10 species of worms have been recorded. Only 13 species of terrestrial invertebrates studied are endemic, however, the proportion of endemics is apparently much higher. There are about 10 species of river fish in the fresh waters of the islands. The coastal ocean waters are home to a wide variety of commercial fish and crustaceans, which the islanders harvest on an industrial scale.

The vegetation cover of the archipelago is represented by cereal and heather meadows. More than 360 species of vascular plants, more than 20 species of ferns and about 280 species of flowering plants grow here.
Today, almost the entire territory of the archipelago is used as pasture. Introduced to the islands different kinds plants and domestic animals cause irreparable damage to local flora and fauna.

Falkland Islands Attractions

Of course, the main and most important attraction of the Falkland Islands is rightfully considered the nature of the archipelago, and this mainly means the local animal world: vast settlements of penguins, noisy bird colonies, picturesque rookeries of fur seals and elephant seals - in a word, everything that seems exotic to Europeans.

The flora of the islands is also quite interesting. Hilly terrain full of boulders, highly indented coastline, forming picturesque bays- these are the distinctive features of island landscapes. To get to know the local beauty better, the ideal way to do this is horseback riding.

The Falkland Islands have excellent fishing, especially tuna, mullet and trout.

The island's capital, Stanley, is essentially a large village.

More than 100 years ago, the city gained the status of a capital only due to the fact that it turned out to be the largest of all settlements, with the most big amount residents. Since those times, little has changed in the city: the same brightly colored buildings, built from local stone and wooden wrecks of ships that were once shipwrecked, the same traditional English lawns and the same measured pace of life. The building of the ancient governor's residence (Government House) and the Cathedral located not far from it are interesting. Christ Church Cathedral"(English: Christ Church Cathedral; 1892) is an impressive building of brick and stone with a bright metal roof and huge, beautiful stained glass windows.

Port Louis(English: Port-Louis) - the oldest settlement on the islands, which also contains the oldest island buildings: an ivy-covered farm of the 19th century, the ruins of the residence of the French governor, as well as the estate of Louis Vernet (English State of Louis Vernet) . Port Louis is located in East Falkland, in the depths of Berkeley Sound, the largest bay of the island, 35 km. northwest of Stanley. The surrounding area of ​​the town is extremely picturesque and extremely reminiscent of the landscapes of northern Scotland.

Beach Volunteer, located east of Port Louis, was chosen for itself king penguins: The largest colony of these birds in the archipelago lives here. A few hours' walk east of this beach, in the Volunteer Noint area, is the largest colony of fur seals, and in the Volunteer Lacunae area is a large colony of elephant seals.
Sea Lion Island Sea Lion Island), not even a mile in diameter, located to the east south coast East Falkland is rich in many species of wildlife. Among the inhabitants of the island are 5 species of penguins, huge colonies of giant pigeons, cormorans and striped caracaras. Hundreds of elephant seals fill the sand and pebble shores of the island's southern coast. This island is considered to be the only island in the archipelago with a well-preserved natural grass cover.

Saunders Island, Spanish Isla Trinidad, located to the north west coast Falkland, served as the location of the first British garrison on the archipelago in 1765. The expulsion of this small garrison by the Spaniards in 1767 became the cause of the war between the two countries. The settlement was demolished by the Spanish after 1774, and today only a few piers and the foundation blocks of British Marines' houses remain.

National holidays

The most important holidays celebrated in the Falkland Islands are:

• April 21 - Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II;
• June 14 - Liberation Day of the F. Islands (1982);
• December 8 - Day of the Battle for F. Island (1914).

Curious facts

The Malvinas Islands are a small archipelago located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It consists of 2 large and many small pieces of land, the number of which is approximately 776. The area of ​​​​all areas taken together is 12 thousand km 2. Falklands is the second and more common name used to refer to the Malvinas Islands. The location coordinates of the archipelago are 51.75° S. w. 59° W d. The history of this piece of paradise is overshadowed by the struggle of two states that are trying to secure the territory for themselves.

The history of the conflict

The 16th century was marked by the discovery of many previously unexplored territories. The Malvinas Islands were no exception. The dispute over their discoverer continues to this day. Argentina insists that the first European to set foot on this piece of land was the Spanish sailor Esteban Gomez, and this happened in 1520. But Great Britain claims that it was discovered only in 1592 by the Briton John Devich. History tells us that a Spanish garrison was located on the archipelago for more than 200 years. That is, the Malvinas Islands were part of Spain. But in 1810, Argentina declared independence, and the military sailed from these lands to their homeland. Such active events in Argentina led to the fact that the Falklands Archipelago was simply forgotten. And only ten years later, Captain Juetom with a detachment of paratroopers arrived here and declared the rights of his state to this territory.

This distribution of power lasted 12 years. But a British naval expedition arrived on the islands and carried out a coup, subjugating the Malvinas Islands to Great Britain. Argentina at that time was still a very young state and was unable to adequately repel the invaders. But she also did not intend to meekly transfer part of her lands to another country. Thus, the conflict over Malvinas Islands originated from the seizure of foreign territory by England.

The period of searching for a peaceful solution

As you know, Great Britain was one of the largest colonial countries in the world. But in the 60s of the twentieth century, this system collapsed. Argentina, taking advantage of the situation, tried to regain power over the Falklands through diplomacy. So, during this period, an airfield and telephone communications appeared on the island. The majority of UN members supported such an initiative. But England did not want to give up the territory on any terms. After all, we were talking not only about a piece of land, which is located quite far from the main part of the state. The British were interested in natural resource deposits such as gas and oil. Another factor was that England had a virtual monopolist in catching the sea crustacean krill, and it was not going to share it with anyone.

At that time, the well-known Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher was in power in Great Britain. By launching military operations against Argentina, she strengthened her position in power. The Malvinas (Falkland) Islands were given a special place in her policy of returning England to the status of a great state.

Argentina's military advantage

The dispute between England and Argentina over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) was beneficial not only to the first of them. In 1981, Argentina experienced a military coup and dictator Leopoldo Galtieri seized power. He simply needed to gain the support of ordinary citizens, and victory in a quick little war should fulfill its purpose. After all, if the Malvinas Islands returned, Argentina would show the whole world that it is a strong and independent state.

Beginning of the war

General Galtieri began to carefully prepare the operation to return the archipelago. It was decided to name her in honor of Captain Juet's ship - "Rosario". The beginning was supposed to be May 25, 1982. This date was not chosen by chance, since on this day Argentina celebrated its national holiday, which was later to be proclaimed as the Day of the Malvinas Islands. But a traitor crept into the ranks of the Argentines, and British intelligence received all the information about this plan. England's response to such actions was the submarine Spartan, which was sent to patrol the waters of the South Atlantic. Having learned about this, Galtieri moved the start to April 2, 1982, and on that day the Argentine landing force landed on the Malvinas and easily dealt with a small group of British.

England took a tough position because it believed that its national interests were hurt. And she expected support from all countries of the European continent. Latin America, on the contrary, was on the side of Argentina, because the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, in their opinion, were long overdue to recognize the power of their real homeland. But France did not take a clear position in this conflict, because it was not profitable for it to turn away from Argentina. This country bought from France combat aircraft. In addition, the Republic of Peru, as an ally of Argentina, bought anti-ship missiles from the French.

A look at the war between the USA and the USSR

In this war, the USSR was ready to support Argentina with its military equipment for reducing food prices. But at that time, the Soviet Union itself was in a state of unresolved military conflict (the war in Afghanistan). Therefore, all the support that Argentina received was expressed in long speeches at UN meetings. We didn’t even talk about active work. Even the opposite happened: the USSR simply washed its hands and completely distanced itself from the Anglo-Argentine conflict.

The United States, on the contrary, did not step aside. At that time, the US President was R. Reagan, who, after the persuasion of Defense Minister K. Weinberg, fully supported Great Britain. The United States immediately imposed sanctions against Argentina. And at the UN Security Council, the United States, together with England, vetoed the resolution regarding the Falklands conflict. These two states even agreed to possibly put pressure on the USSR if it decided to intervene.

Active hostilities

After seizing control of the archipelago, Great Britain immediately sent a large naval force to ensure that the territory was returned to the rule of the English crown. On April 12, 1982, the British government placed a blockade on the Malvinas Islands. The war was already in full swing. stated that if Argentine ships were spotted within a radius of 200 miles from this territory, they would be immediately sunk. Argentina's response was to ban its citizens from using the services of English banks.

Argentine aviation also could not take an active enough part in military operations, especially in maintaining the garrison and supplying it with everything necessary. This happened due to the fact that the jets could not land on the runway that was available on the island, since it was too short.

Thanks to US support, Britain was able to use their military base on this site. This made access to remote territory easier. On April 25, the British captured the island of South Georgia, which had previously been under Argentine rule. The military surrendered without a fight and gave up their post without resistance. After which a new phase of the war began.

Sea and Air Action Phase

On May 1, 1982, the Falklands region was completely engulfed in war. British planes raided Port Stanley, and Argentina responded by sending aircraft to attack British ships. The next day, an event occurred that became the most difficult for Argentina during the entire war. An English submarine sank an enemy cruiser, killing 323 people. This was the reason that the Argentine fleet was recalled back to the shores of their native country. He took no further part in hostilities.

Argentina found itself in a difficult situation, and its only hope was aviation. At the same time, outdated free-falling bombs were dropped on the British fleet, which in most cases did not even explode.

But the British side also had losses that shocked the whole country. On May 4, an anti-ship missile supplied from France heavily hit one of the British destroyers. This caused its flooding. But at that time Argentina had only five such missiles, which led to the rapid depletion of this supply.

Calm before the storm

This military breakthrough by Argentina led to two weeks of relative calm. Of course, clashes continued, but they were few. These include the British military operation to destroy 11 Argentine aircraft on Pebble Island. At the same time, the UN tried to persuade the parties to stop the war and come to an agreement peacefully. But no one wanted to give up. Argentina, in turn, decided to respond to the sanctions of other countries against it. She banned her citizens from flying to countries that have adopted anti-Argentine sanctions.

Land War

England prepared its marines in advance for landing on the islands. This happened on the night of May 21-22. The landing took place in San Carlos Bay, where this was not expected at all. The Argentine resistance was weak, but the next morning the situation changed. Argentina raided ships that were moored in the bay.

On May 25, one of the planes hit a British ship that was transporting helicopters. A few days later it sank. And the British ground detachment had already taken strong positions on the island itself. On May 28, in the area of ​​​​the settlements of Guz-Nrin and Darwin, the Argentine garrison was attacked, as a result of which, after a very difficult battle, it was forced to retreat.

On June 12, with heavy losses, British troops occupied the heights of Two Sisters, Mount Harriet and Munith Longdon, previously controlled by the Argentines. On June 14, all other heights were subordinated to British troops.

Britain did not release 600 Argentines from captivity for some time, thus trying to manipulate their homeland into signing a more favorable peace treaty.

Losses of the parties

During the 74-day military conflict, Argentina lost 649 people, one cruiser, one submarine, one patrol boat, four transport ships, one fishing trawler, 22 attack aircraft, 11 fighter aircraft, about 100 airplanes and helicopters. 11 thousand people were taken prisoner. In addition, it was resonant that after the end of the war, 3 more soldiers, captured by England, died.

The United Kingdom lost 258 people, two frigates, two destroyers, one container ship, one landing ship, one landing craft, 34 helicopters and aircraft in this war.

The current stage of the conflict

At the end of the war, no formal treaty was signed between the warring countries. Only in 1990 were diplomatic relations established again. In recent years, the conflict has again gained momentum. The reason for this was the receipt of a permit by one of the British companies near the Malvinas Islands. Argentina opposed this state of affairs, because oil will actually be extracted near the coast of this state.

Argentina's response was also the law of February 16, 2010, which states that only those ships that have received permission have the right to sail within 500 km from the coast of the country. But this did not stop the British, and the oil production platform was installed on February 21.

In 2013, the public once again paid attention to the Malvinas Islands. The referendum, which would determine the country's identity, was to take place on March 10 and 11. Residents had the opportunity to choose which state they would like to belong to. When the results were tallied, it turned out that 91% of the islanders had turned out to vote. With an undisputed result of 99.8%, Great Britain won, leaving no chance for Argentina to argue.

Thus, in the last century there was a short war over the Falkland, or Malvinas, Islands. Shantar Islands, located in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, are somewhat reminiscent of this archipelago. After all, this is also a small piece of territory beyond the outskirts of the mainland. But if two states decide to fight over it, many people will die. The history of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) proves that the more informed, purposeful and well-planned opponent wins the fight.

The history of previous wars has never known anything like this. She is a unique phenomenon. Although it was very short, the rivals fought a fierce battle, using all the latest achievements of the technical process. And for Great Britain it was also a war at a great distance. The main goal was not the territory itself, but the resources it could give to the victorious country.

January 3rd, 2013

Reading today's news: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner sent an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron calling on him to begin negotiations on the return of the Falkland Islands to Argentina, the Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday.

The letter marks the 180th anniversary of the annexation of the Falklands, located off the coast of Argentina. Kirchner uses the Spanish name for the islands and claims that “as a result of British colonial policy, the Malvinas Islands were taken by force from Argentina,” which, in her opinion, dealt a blow to the territorial integrity of the country. The President relies on the fact that in 1965 the UN General Assembly “unanimously, without a single dissenting vote, adopted a resolution recognizing the annexation of the Malvinas Islands as a result of British colonialism and calling on countries to reach a negotiated solution to the territorial dispute.”

The Argentine cruiser General Belgrano sinks after being hit by a torpedo from the British nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror, May 1, 1982. Argentine and Chilean ships managed to rescue 770 people, while 323 were killed. (AP Photo)

In response to the letter, a copy of which was sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, David Cameron said that this issue"The Falklands' population of three thousand overwhelmingly supports Britain." A referendum planned for March this year will decide whether the Falklands will remain a British overseas territory. Cameron assured that Britain would “respect and protect” the interests of local population. Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly Barry Elsby supported the Prime Minister, saying that being British is the choice of Falklanders. Argentina also accuses Britain of expelling its citizens from the islands; the other side denies such accusations.

The Falkland Islands (Malvinas), 14 thousand kilometers away from Britain, are actually the gateway to Antarctica, giving control over the extremely rich natural resources ocean areas. Disputes between Argentina and Great Britain over the ownership of the islands began at the beginning of the 19th century, when the first British settlers appeared on the islands. The fighting between Great Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands began on April 2, 1982, lasted 74 days and ended in victory for the British crown. British oil companies unilaterally began exploration for oil fields near the archipelago in 2010, escalating the conflict.

Argentine soldiers make military supplies shortly after the invasion of the Falkland Islands, April 13, 1982. (Daniel Garcia/AFP/Getty Images)

Militarily, the regime felt confident: the recently acquired French aircraft carrier as part of its air wing contained not only Skyhawks with bombs, but also the latest French Super-Etandars with Exocet anti-ship missiles, capable of, without entering the air defense zone of a detachment of warships, inflict a serious defeat on him. Destroyers (EM) and guided missile frigates (FR URO) were ready to develop the success of aviation. The Argentine combat aviation group numbered up to 200 units. Crew preparedness has traditionally had a high reputation. All this looked solid and could not help but encourage the Argentine strategists to “tickle” old England.

At this time, the military-political leadership of Great Britain sought to improve the strategic nuclear forces based on Trident missiles at the expense of the Navy. Because of this, the fleet can barely make ends meet; both were laid off in 1982 active aircraft carrier, several ships of the main class, the most important elements of infrastructure, a significant part of the personnel. Even without that, the position of the “Mistress of the Seas” did not look convincing in comparison with France, and in a number of positions (in terms of the quality and quantity of surface ships of the main class) - even with Japan. In this regard, the leadership of the military department did not find it possible either to defend, much less to conquer the Falklands back. There is no doubt that these difficulties and sentiments in Great Britain were known to the Argentine side. Nevertheless, in April 1982, a solid contingent of British troops with light attack aircraft and helicopters landed on the archipelago. At the same time, the British also captured South Georgia.

Gunsmiths prepare torpedoes on the British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes while Sea King helicopters watch for possible Argentine submarines, May 26, 1982. (AFP/Getty Images)

The British ships had to travel 6,000-8,000 miles to areas completely devoid of any signs of a coastal base. Approximately in the middle of the deployment route was the last piece of land used as a rear base - Ascension Island. Here the main forces of the 317th OS of the Royal Navy were assembled, after which Rear Admiral John Woodward reported to the commander of the Navy, Admiral J. Fieldhouse, who headed the specially created headquarters, the decision for the operation, subsequently known as “Corporate”. At the same time, planning, briefings on all types of databases, support, briefings, orientation, preliminary assignment of tasks to the forces, and final acceptance of supplies while stationed at the roadstead were carried out. Then all the work took place in the open ocean, usually on the move.

A British soldier checks the area with binoculars while an anti-missile battery is positioned next to him in case of an air attack, May 25, 1982. (AFP/Getty Images)

The basis of the intent of the OS commander's decision was that all actions, including the capture of the Falkland Islands, must be completed no later than mid-June. Later, hydrometeorological conditions were incompatible not only with maintaining a database, but also simply with the presence of ships and aircraft in these waters providing fire support and providing forces on shore. Countdown, taking the minimum necessary time for landing operations on the shore, the deadline for the start of the landing was determined as May 20-21.

In the same way, the timing of the arrival of the British OS on the theater of operations (in the general exclusive zone) on May 1 was determined to gain supremacy at sea and air superiority.
The first shots of this war were fired, and the loss count opened on the island of South Georgia, where a specially designated tactical group of ships disabled and captured the Argentine submarine Santa Fe and raised the British flag.

The completion of the deployment is marked by a series of air strikes on Port Stanley and Goose Green airfields. First, the Vulcan strategic bomber from Ascension Island bombed Port Stanley from a high altitude on the night of May 1. The deck-based Sea Harriers developed success at dawn. At this time, surface ships were shelling coastal targets and conducting a control search for enemy submarines. In the ensuing air battles, Argentine aviation had an almost 10-fold superiority, but the British Sea Harriers were more effective than the Sidewinders in service with the Argentine Air Force. The main task of the first day was the secret landing of a special forces task force to reconnoiter enemy positions and select a location for the future landing.

The struggle for supremacy at sea unfolded according to classical canons and with great severity. The Argentine fleet, having completed its combat deployment in advance, covered in its battle formation the arriving British forces from two sides - from the northeast and from the southwest. The massive use of shore-based aircraft was also envisaged as diversionary and supporting strikes.

British submarines were unable to detect enemy surface ships. When the Conqueror submarine finally discovers the Argentine cruiser, problems begin due to the imperfect control of the submarine, as well as the difficulty of tracking surface ships in shallow water. Nevertheless, the Argentine cruiser was sunk as a result of a torpedo attack.

It is generally accepted that it was the loss of the cruiser that forced the Argentine command to return the fleet to its bases. In fact, the Argentine sailors were burning with a thirst for revenge, but the weather prevented them from delivering a fatal blow to the English OS. The Argentine fleet returned to its bases and never left territorial waters.

Thick smoke rises from the British frigate HMS Antelope in Ajax Bay, May 24, 1982. Four Argentine A-4B Skyhawks attacked a British frigate the day before. During the attack, a bomb was dropped on the ship, which British technicians tried unsuccessfully to defuse. It exploded, causing a fire and killing 2 crew members. (AP Photo/Tom Smith)

Judging by the losses, the greatest intensity of the combat missions is reached with the beginning of the landing, because it was far from gaining air superiority and the problem was solved by simply “grinding” the Argentine aviation, rushing to the landing area and the anchorage of landing ships and transports.

An Argentine soldier walks past the wreckage of a downed British warplane in Darwin. (Reuters/Eduardo Farre)

The landing itself on May 21 went smoothly and without losses, but by May 25 the total number of British ships sunk reached four, almost all other ships had multiple battle damage. The price is quite high, although it was possible to preserve all the landing and transport ships, especially those with landing forces, as well as aircraft carriers. The losses were also due to the ineffectiveness of the Rapier air defense system. The losses of the British in naval personnel here could have been incomparably more severe if the Argentine air command had shown more skill and enterprise in managing forces.

At the same time, this air offensive in the anti-landing direction, as well as previous combat operations in the air, cost the Argentine Air Force and Navy at least a third of all combat-ready aircraft and the loss of the most experienced pilots. It is at this moment that the command of the Argentine Air Force recognizes its air forces as undermined, and such a price for the Falklands as unacceptable. When leaving, the Argentine aviation, as they say, loudly slammed the door.

We are talking about the defeat of the Atlantic Conveyor container ship converted into air transport. In a perfectly planned raid by the Argentine “Super Etandars”, dedicated to national holiday Argentina, a container ship with a radar signature similar to the Hermes, took the hit of two Exocets. One missile immediately aimed at it, the second, being withdrawn from the Hermes, also aimed at the container ship and finished it off. The ship was packed to capacity with the most valuable cargo for the expeditionary forces: three heavy Chinook helicopters, five Wessexes, a solid supply of cluster bombs for Harriers, equipment for the rapid creation runway in Carlos Bay, a huge amount of spare parts for helicopters, supplies and equipment. In addition, the container ship, being specially converted according to the mobilization plan, served as the third flight deck in the OS.

However, the bridgehead had already been captured, troops and equipment were on the shore, as for the loss of the Atlantic Conveyor, it was an unpleasant, but not a defining moment. The aircraft carriers were preserved - and this is the main thing. Despite the delays, the actions of the British troops on the shore developed successfully, and by mid-June the enemy capitulated.

Argentine soldiers take positions in Port Howard. (Reuters/Eduardo Farre)

Even after two decades, there is no complete clarity about the losses of Great Britain and Argentina. We are not talking about absolute accuracy - it would be nice to at least determine the order of losses.

A frigate sprays water on the damaged HMS Sheffield, 28 May 1982. At this time, a Sea King helicopter hovers in the air, ensuring safety. Two Argentine Super Etendard attack aircraft attacked the ship with missiles, starting a fire that lasted for several days until HMS Sheffield completely sank, killing 20 people. (AP Photo/Press Association/Martin Cleaver)

On May 27, the UK Ministry of Defense reported that 109 people had died by that date. The Argentines admitted the loss of only 92, although three times as many died on the Belgrano alone. At the end of the war the British stated the following figures: about 200 British were killed and about 300 wounded. The Argentine armed forces lost about 1,300 people killed. Subsequently, the losses of the British “increased”, while those of the Argentines “decreased” accordingly.

There was a figure of 230-236 dead British, incl. 120 in the ground forces, the number of dead Argentines is estimated at 750 people and this number has been “fixed” in all Western sources. Then the “final” number of British deaths was called the figure of 250 people, more precisely 255-256 people, including: the Royal Navy lost eighty-seven people, the Royal Marines - twenty-six, the merchant fleet - nine and the Royal Auxiliary Fleet - seven.

15-20 years after the war, 258 people were declared dead by Great Britain, incl. 3 islanders. The maximum number of British casualties I encountered was 286.

Argentine prisoners of war walk past a burning building in Port Stanley in last days Argentine occupation of the southern part of the islands. (AP Photo/J. Leonard)

Argentine losses are sometimes estimated at both 712 and 700 people killed; there were figures of 690 killed and 176 wounded, but the official Argentine figure is 655 dead.

Complete statistics on losses in manpower and equipment

The Falklands War was literally a gift for Prime Minister Thatcher. Or rather, not the war itself, but its result. In the early 1980s, the British economy was in a fever, and victory in the war greatly strengthened Thatcher's popularity and allowed her to remain in power until 1990. The war was no less a gift for the military: defense spending increased sharply. There was a decisive abandonment of the previous military doctrine, thanks to which, if Argentina had attacked in 1983, Britain would have lost the war. The carriers would have been sold, the massive cuts already beginning in November 1981 and peaking in the spring of 1982 would have left the Royal Navy unable to win the battle for the Falklands. At least that's how it really happened.

Immediately after the war, the government abdicated responsibility for the war that began so timely. On 6 July 1982, Lord Franke was appointed chairman of a select committee of the Privy Council to investigate the reasons for the armed invasion of the Falkland Islands. On 18 January 1983, the Franks Report was published, exonerating Margaret Thatcher's government of responsibility for the Argentine military junta's decision to invade the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982.

Another echo of the war in the South Atlantic was the process of disclosing documents shedding light on the events of May 2, 1982. February 11, 1985 Former British Ministry of Defense employee Clive Ponting is acquitted by a court considering the disclosure of the contents of documents related to the sinking of the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano during the Falklands War.

Argentine prisoners of war in Port Stanley, 17 June 1982. By the end of the conflict, more than 11 thousand Argentines were captured.

Unable to stop the political and economic crisis in the country, the general began to prepare for the departure of the military and destroy all evidence of repression, as well as demand an amnesty from the democratic forces for all war crimes.

Raul Alfonsin became the first democratic president of Argentina in many years. He began trials of the military, almost all the highest ranks received prison terms. But the army was not going to give up: the first uprising against President Alfonsin was raised by Colonel Aldo Rico, a participant in the Falklands War, on April 15, 1985 at a military base in Campo Mayo. Although the instigators of the riot were arrested, the military managed to achieve a law according to which all persons involved in repression, below the rank of colonel, were declared “executing orders.” The concessions provoked the military into new actions. As soon as Aldo Rico found himself under house arrest, he immediately started a new riot in mid-January 1988. On January 17, Rico surrendered, but they treated him quite leniently: a sentence with the ability to communicate by phone and good conditions of detention. The uprising in December 1988 ended with an increase in military salaries and no one was even arrested.

Finally, the new President of Argentina, Carlos Menema, will sign an amnesty order on October 5, 1989, and many generals will be free. The uprising on December 3, 1990 was suppressed, but Menema signed a general amnesty on December 29, 1990.

On July 11, 1982, Argentina, and the next day Great Britain, would de facto declare the end of the war. About 5 thousand British soldiers were left on the islands. 27 June 1983 The British Secretary of State for Defense announces £215 million for an airport in the Falkland Islands.

In October 1989, consular relations were restored between Great Britain and Argentina, and since February 1990, diplomatic relations have been fully established.

Mass grave of 30 Argentine soldiers after the Battle of Darwin. On June 14, 1982, Argentine troops left the island after being defeated by the British. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver)

27 September 1995 Great Britain and Argentina enter into an agreement to develop oil and gas fields in the South Atlantic southwest of the Falkland Islands. Supervision over the extraction of mineral resources is entrusted to a joint commission.

The conflict flared up with renewed vigor when huge raw material deposits were discovered in the disputed area. Oil reserves are estimated at 60 billion barrels of oil, and natural gas reserves at 9 trillion cubic meters. In February 2010, British oil companies began exploration and production of oil from the Ocean Guardian floating drilling platform, located 100 km north of the islands. This caused a wave of protest from Argentina and economic response on its part.

Argentine Falklands War veteran José Luis Aparacio holds a photograph of himself (right) and a comrade (left) after they were captured by British troops at the Battle of Mount Longdon on June 12, 1982. The photo above was taken in La Plata, Argentina, March 20, 2007. (Reuters/Enrique Marcarian)

Among the latter is the December decision of the countries of the South American Common Market (MERCOSUR) to ban ships flying the flag of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) from entering their ports.

Shortly after this, on January 19, British Prime Minister David Cameron accused Argentina of colonialism in the Falkland Islands, to which Buenos Aires indignantly declared that the words about “colonialism” from the lips of the British sounded especially offensive, since “history perfectly demonstrates their attitude towards everything world" (today, about 50 of the approximately 200 countries in the world annually celebrate the day of independence from British rule). At the same time, Cameron approved an urgent plan to strengthen the country's military forces.

sources
http://nvo.ng.ru
http://historiwars.narod.ru
http://m.ria.ru/world/20130103/917061244.html

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And I also want to remind you how as a result of the war.

The Falklands War between Great Britain and Argentina became one of the most notable events of British foreign policy of the twentieth century. This is the period of Margaret Thatcher's reign (1979 to 1990).

Below is information about the islands and the history of the conflict.

The Falkland Islands (Malvinas) are an archipelago in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean with a total area of ​​12.2 thousand square kilometers. Consists of two large islands- East Falkland (Soledad) and West Falkland (Gran Malvina) - and about 200 small islands and rocks.

The Falkland Islands are located 13 thousand kilometers from Great Britain and 400 kilometers from Argentina.

The islands were discovered in 1591-1592 by the English navigator John Davis. Since 1765 they belonged to Spain.

In 1820, after declaring independence from Spain, the United Provinces of La Plata (future Argentina) claimed the Falklands, which the Spaniards called the Malvinas Islands. In 1829, the Argentine military governor with a small detachment of soldiers was landed on their territory. In 1833, English ships arrived on the islands and declared the archipelago a British possession, and the Argentines on it were taken to their homeland.

Since the 1960s, Argentina has stepped up diplomatic efforts to end colonial rule in the Falklands and extend its sovereignty to the islands. This problem was even discussed at a UN meeting, and the majority spoke in favor of decolonization.

In 1972, Argentina built an airfield and established telephone communications. Scientific cooperation began in 1976. But the English government did not give the Falklanders equal rights with the residents of Great Britain and even denied them the right to own property on the islands. Relations became strained when in 1975 the British government sent a commission led by Lord Shelkton to the Falklands to study

After the Conservatives, led by Margaret Thatcher, came to power in May 1979, there was a deterioration in Anglo-Argentine relations, negotiations in New York in April-May 1980 they reached a dead end.

A diplomatic solution to the territorial dispute seemed impossible to the Argentine military government led by President General Leopoldo Galtieri, and it took decisive action.

March 19, 1982 on South Georgia Island desert island, operated from the Falkland capital Port Stanley and located 800 miles from the archipelago, several dozen Argentine workers landed on the pretext that they needed to dismantle the old whaling station. They raised the Argentine flag on the island.

English soldiers tried to expel the Argentines, but troops came to the aid of the workers.

On April 2, 1982, Argentine troops also landed on the Falkland Islands. A company of 80 British Marines stationed in Port Stanley, on the orders of Governor Rex Hunt, capitulated without resistance. Galtieri appointed the commander of the Argentine Expeditionary Force, General Mario Menendos, as the new governor. England broke off diplomatic relations with Argentina that same day.

On April 3, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling on the parties to resolve the conflict over the Falklands through negotiations. England demanded the withdrawal of Argentine troops as a condition for the start of negotiations. Buenos Aires, agreeing to negotiations, refused to withdraw its troops.

On April 5, a British squadron of 40 ships led by the aircraft carriers Hermes and Invisible with a 10,000-strong expeditionary force on board sailed from Portsmouth (USA) to the South Atlantic.

On April 7, the British Secretary of Defense announced that, starting from April 12, the British fleet would sink all Argentine ships that were within a radius of 200 miles (over 320 kilometers) or closer to the Falkland Islands. Argentina responded by calling up reservists and sending additional troops to the islands. The airfield at Port Stanley began to be converted to receive military aircraft.

On April 25, the British squadron landed troops on the island of South Georgia, which captured the Argentine garrison without a fight.

On April 30, England imposed a complete military and naval blockade of the Falklands. British aircraft from aircraft carriers attacked the Argentine positions on the islands, disabled both airfields and damaged several enemy combat aircraft and helicopters.

On May 2, a submarine sunk the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, which was outside the 200-mile exclusion zone declared by the British. 386 crew members were killed. On the same day, Argentine planes sank the British destroyer Sheffield, killing 30 people. The British government presented Argentina with an ultimatum to withdraw Argentine troops from the Falklands within 48 hours. The ultimatum was not accepted, and on May 2, an English frigate sank an Argentine tanker.

In mid-May, British commandos raided Pebble Island and destroyed enemy aircraft and weapons depots located there. On May 17 and 21, the British side demanded the withdrawal of Argentine troops from the Falklands within 14 days. Argentina again refused. On May 21, British troops landed in the Falklands. The operation involved 22,000 soldiers, two aircraft carriers, seven destroyers, seven landing ships, three nuclear submarines, 40 Harrier VTOL fighter bombers and 35 helicopters. Two days later, the British captured the villages of Port Darwin and Goose Green on East Falkland Island.

On May 26, the Argentine government proposed to withdraw troops of both sides to their bases within 30 days and transfer the islands to UN administration for the period of negotiations. The British did not respond to the Argentine proposals.

On June 14, a ceasefire agreement was reached, and on June 15, the 10,000-strong Argentine garrison, led by General Menendoz, capitulated.

Shortly after the surrender, President Galtieri resigned. Power in Argentina passed to a civilian government. General Galtieri was sentenced to 12 years in prison for starting a war with England, of which he served seven.

As a result of the Falklands War, British sovereignty was restored.