The Falkland Islands

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The Falkland Islands or Falkland Islands are a must-see when taking a trip to Antarctica . It is worth making a stop on your trip and enjoy its spectacular populations of penguins, seals and albatrosses. Surrounded by the South Atlantic and by centuries of controversy, the islands lie 490 kilometers east of Patagonia . Two main islands, East and West Falkland, and more than 700 small islets give their name to these islands that more or less occupy the same area as Northern Ireland or Connecticut.

As you may already know, they were invaded in 1982 by the Argentine military dictatorship. Until then few people could determine the location of this remote archipelago. It had difficult access until an airport was built in 1977. The 11 weeks that the Falklands war lasted suddenly made these strangers on the front page of all the major newspapers.

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Some of the many small islands are inhabited. About 60% of Falklands are native, some have extended generations of relatives of even six or more generations. Most of the rest of the islanders are immigrants or temporary UK residents.

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Since the arrival of the great sheep families at the end of the 19th century , rural settlements in the Falkland Islands are tiny villages built near protected ports where the coastal navigation can more easily access the collection of wool. Shepherds typically lived outside their homes, which still dot the landscape. The Falklands retain their rural character: the islands are made up of 400 kilometers of roads, but there are no traffic lights.