About The Falkland Islands (Malvinas Islands
Many us had never heard of the Falkland Islands prior to 1982. Located in the South Atlantic roughly 250–300 nautical miles from the coast of Argentina, it is considered a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. Territorial Dependency of the United Kingdom, along with South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.”The Falkland Islands” is the formal title used by the government and in official documents, usually with “the” as it refers to a group of islands (an archipelago). “Falkland Islands” is often used in headlines or maps, whereas “The Falklands” is a commonly used, standard abbreviation.
Argentina claims the islands (known as Islas Malvinas) based on inheritance from Spain, while Britain maintains a consistent claim since 1833. Argentina invaded the Falklands on April 2, 1982, prompting a swift British response to regain control. The Falklands War was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The conflict began on April 2, 1982, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, followed by the invasion of South Georgia the next day. On April 5 the British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force before making an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender on June 14, returning the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel and three Falkland Islanders were killed during the hostilities.
In March 2013, 99.8% of voters chose to remain under British sovereignty and The Falklands are considered a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The Falklands are financially self-sufficient, except for defense, and are governed by a council elected by the residents.
Stanley is the capital of the Falkland Islands. he Historic Dockyard Museum has galleries devoted to maritime exploration, natural history, the 1982 Falklands War and Antarctic heritage. Magellanic penguins gather at nearby Gypsy Cove.
Catholic places of interest in the Falkland Islands:
St. Mary’s Catholic Church, located on Ross Road in Stanley, is the sole Catholic church in the Falkland Islands. Consecrated in 1899, this small, wood-built church serves the local Catholic community and features, including stained glass windows, local art, and a pictorial history of the Catholic Church in the Falkland Islands created by local artist James Peck.
The church is located near the waterfront and is well-maintained and serves as a quiet space, offering a unique look at the history of faith in the South Atlantic.
Traveling to the Falkland Islands:
By air:
The primary international airport in the Falkland Islands is RAF Mount Pleasant (MPN), located 27 miles from Stanley, which handles scheduled international flights.
The secondary airport, Port Stanley Airport (PSY), serves mainly domestic flights and the government air service (FIfly) via Santiago, Chile (SCL) to Mount Pleasant (MPN) on weekly Saturday LATAM Airlines flights, often stopping in Punta Arenas (PUQ). Alternatively, the UK Ministry of Defense operates twice-weekly flights (Airbridge) from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.
By ship:
Major cruise lines including Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, and Holland America all make ports of call at Stanley. In addition, Expedition/Specialty Lines HX Expeditions (Hurtigruten), Ponant, Seabourn, Quark Expeditions, Abercrombie & Kent, Aurora Expeditions, and Oceanwide Expeditions also visit the Falklands.