Falkland Islands

Tucked away near Argentina in the Atlantic, Falkland Islands – or Islas Maldivas are they are sometimes called are characterized by its abundance of marine creatures and shipwreck remains that date back to the 19th century. The site of the famous 1982 Britain-Argentina war, the Falkland Islands make for a memorable holiday destination, certainly belying its smaller size.

Situated approximately 500 kms from Patagonia in Argentina, the Falklands act as more of a stopover for those going on Antarctic voyages, but also has a place of its own as a destination. The archipelago has namely East and West Falkland, along with a islet numbering to a few hundred.

One of the biggest attractions of the Falkland islands are its wildlife, which is truly a sight worth seeing. Not only are the islands home to five different species of penguins (including the king penguin), it is home to other marine creatures such as sea birds, whales, and sea lions.

History enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either – there are ample reminders of the 1982 war, like the Pebble Island and Goose Green battlefields, that now function as tourist attractions. Urban life, though not huge, is still interesting – most of the population resides in Stanley, the capital, and there are over a thousand members of the British military who live at Mount Pleasant Base.

Some facts about Falkland Islands:

• With over 500,000 pairs of penguins, Falkland Islands has the largest population of penguins of all countries. Chances are, most of the penguin photos you see were probably photographed here.
• The country does love its penguins – their sole weekly newspaper is famously called the Penguin News. Issued each Friday, the newspaper covers local as well as overseas events, and publishes current events, letters, sport results, job postings, and guest columns.
• The number of sheep on Falkland islands are 165 times more than that of human beings.
• The crime rate here is one of the lowest in the world – so much so that people tend to leave their car keys in the ignition and don’t have locks on their doors to begin with.
• The Falkland Islands have some of the shortest phone numbers in the world – phone numbes here are only 5 digits long.