Once British, then Dutch, then French and Spanish, then British again, the Falkland Islands have always been a highly contested territory. Located in the far south of the Atlantic Ocean, next to Argentina, the Falkland Islands are an archipelago of 2 main islands and 750 smaller islands. The islands are famous for their beauty, but also for it’s territorial dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Perfectly located, there are many reasons why the two countries claim the Falklands.
Las Malvinas, Falkland Islands, the very name of the South Atlantic Islands, already show the dispute between Argentina and England. Located to the east of Argentina’s coast, the Falkland Islands have an interesting history of colonisation and an importance in the maritime route, but also for maritime resources.
Context of the Disputes
European Explorers
During the great maritime discoveries of the 15th century, the Falkland Islands were visited by the British, French, Dutch and Spanish. Davis Island, Hawkin’s Maiden-Land, Sebald Island, Malouines and then Falkland Island, all these names correspond to each visit by European explorers. The Falkland Islands were inhabited at the time of its foundation and it was easy to settle there despite the harsh climate, wind, humidity and low temperatures. It is very likely that the Yagans, hunters of the Terra de Fugo, arrived in the Falklands long before European explorers.
At first, the island was not visited by the explorers as they passed along the Argentine coast. Armergo and Magellan could have seen the island from a great distance, but never approached it.
The use of the name Falkland Islands resulted from John Strong’s exploration of the strait between the two main islands in 1690. One of the ships used belonged to Anthony Cary, Viscount of Falkland. Britain’s presence near the Spanish colonies was already seen as a threat to Peru’s gold and silver reserves.
The Dispute between Britain and Spain
It was in this context that the French explorer Bougainville established a French colony at Saint-Louis in 1764, naming the archipelago the Malouines on the East Island. Two years later, the British landed in the Falklands, unaware of the French presence, and established Port Egmount on the West Island. As if things were not complicated enough, the Spanish entered the equation and opposed the French. After a financial negotiation, Port Saint-Louis became Porte Soledad and the French left the island, leaving Britain and Spain face to face. The port was not the only thing the Spanish renamed as they now called the island Las Islas Malvinas, a Spanish transformation of Les Malouines. Today, the use of either Falklands or Las Malvinas is used as a territorial identity claim by either the British or the Argentines.
This confrontation between the two empires led to the crisis of 1770, at first they prepared for war, but Madrid and London negotiated to share the island. However, 10 years later, Britain faced difficult times in North America and sent all its soldiers, including those on Port Egdmound, to what would become the United States, leaving the Falklands to the Spanish.
In 1811, the same thing happened to Spain when Montevideo claimed its independence from Spain and the Spanish soldiers of the Falklands also left the island.
In 1837 a new capital, Stanley, was built by the British, taking advantage of the conflict between the United States and the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, it then became a British colony.
Argentina and British Dispute
Great Resources of the Falkland.
The location of the Falkland Islands is very interesting. The British colony developed thanks to it. Many resources could be established, fish resources, cattle hunting (imported by the French), sheep breeding, but also whale hunting. After the First World War, measures were taken to protect seals and whales, a now endangered species. The archipelago is also famous for its extraordinary fauna, mainly albatrosses, puffins and king penguins.
In 1998, the discovery of an oil well in Falklands waters added another layer of difficulty. In 2010, 350 million barrels were discovered. Argentina has resisted drilling in what it considers to be its territory, while British oil companies have begun to explore the resources. Daniel Filmus, Argentina’s secretary of state, declared that ‘Argentina will use all legal means, both national and international, to stop the expropriation’. It’s against five British companies drilling for oil, part of the Falklands exploration, that Argentina has begun legal proceedings.
The 1982 war’s argument
The dispute became a conflict in 1982, when Argentina invaded the Falklands, quickly followed by the British. The Argentine government claims the Malouines as part of its territory, as they are much closer to Argentina than to the UK. In a letter, the Argentine government says: “How can Britain claim islands that are 7,000 miles away from Britain?
On the other hand, the United Kingdom claims sovereignty over the Falklands on the basis of the self-determination of the islanders, the majority of whom are of British descent.
UN General Assembly Resolution 2065, adopted in 1965, calls on both parties to “find a peaceful solution to the dispute”. This year marks the 60th anniversary of this resolution, without any solution between Argentina and England.
