History of the Falkland Islands

History of the Falkland Islands

Key Dates

• Early 16th century: The completely uninhabited archipelago is "spotted" by several European navigators over the years.

• 1690: It is (re)discovered by the English, who officially take possession of it and name it the Falkland Islands.

• 1764: A French garrison and fishermen from Saint-Malo are the first to settle there permanently. The latter give the islands their other name, the Malvinas (Malouines).

• 1775: The English navigator Cook discovers South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

• Late 18th century: The Spanish, then rulers of Latin America, have the Malvinas ceded to them by the French and English, who had previously shared them.

• Early 19th century: Spain loses its South American colonies. Argentina then takes possession of the Malvinas (Malouines) for a few years. It is also during this period (and until the mid-20th century) that South Georgia serves as a base for seal hunters and other whalers.

• 1833: The English retake control of the Falklands, leaving the archipelago to stagnate for a while before developing the wool trade. A few British settlers arrive.

• 1892: The Falklands gain the status of a British colony.

• 1960s: Although Argentina officially maintains its claims on the archipelago, England agrees to rely on it for supplies, which strongly worries the pro-British population living there.

• 1982: Falklands War lost against England by the new Argentine military government, which sought to rally the Argentine population to its cause.

• 1985: Former dependencies of the Falklands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands become a separate British colony.

• 1980s/90s: Strengthening of the British army on the archipelago and rapprochement with Chile, which replaces Argentina for commercial relations and the supply of the Falklands.

• 1995: Although Argentina continues to claim the Malvinas, a meeting takes place between the Argentine and British governments to reach certain agreements in the region.

• 2001: End of the use of South Georgia as a British military base, which had begun in the aftermath of the Falklands War.

• 2009/14: Having been heavily mined during the 1982 war, the entire archipelago is completely demined by the British government.

• 2013: By referendum, the Falkland Islanders confirm by over 99% their desire to remain part of the British Crown.