Falkland Islands: A Brief History of the Malvinas Dispute

The Malvinas, or Malvinas, are a scattering of rocks in the South Atlantic, home to countless penguins and known in Europe as the Falkland Islands. Only the two largest of the 200 islands are inhabited, by 3,000 residents and 1700 British military personnel. Moors, grasses, and wind characterize the landscape.

First sighted in 1592, the islands, located 400 kilometers off the coast of Argentina, were settled in 1764 by sailors from Saint-Malo, France, giving them the name Malwinen. The name Falkland honors Anthony Cary, the fifth Viscount Falkland. For centuries, no nation firmly established a foothold on the islands. Argentina claimed them in 1820, and Britain's colonial administration followed in 1837. The islands remain part of Great Britain to this day.

Argentina occupied them in 1982, but the British prevailed in the subsequent war. The conflict continues to simmer. After their World Cup semi-final victory over England, Argentinian players carried a banner across the field that read: "Las Malvinas son Argentinas" – the Malwinas are Argentinian. The British government has called for an investigation by FIFA.