mobile View, to the German Version tap the flag

Falkland Islands

• Falkland Islands and Dependencies
• Possession of Great Britain, Overseas territory with internal autonomy
• consisting in the Falkland Islands, and the Dependencies of South Georgia and the South-Sandwich-Islands
• claimed as "Islas Malvinas" by Argentina
• own name: Falkland Islands (English)
• other names: Islas Malvinas (Spanish), Îles Malouines (French)

Contents

• Flags

• Historical Flags

• Meaning/Origin of the Flag

• Coat of Arms

• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

• Map

• Numbers and Facts

• History

• Origin of the Country's Name

Flags

since 1842,
Union Flag → quasi national flag,
Flag of United Kingdom,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)





since 1999,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Corel Draw 4, Wikipedia (D)





since 1999,
merchant flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Corel Draw 4, Wikipedia (D)





since 1948,
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)





Flag of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI),
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

Historical Flags

1785–1811,
Flag of Spain,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World





since 1842,
Union Flag → quasi national flag,
Flag of United Kingdom,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)





1865–1999,
Merchant flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of all Nations





1876–1925,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN),
Sodacan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons





1876–1925,
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN),
Sodacan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons





1925–1948,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN),
Sodacan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons





1925–1948,
Flag of the Governor,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN),
Sodacan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons





1948–1999,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The Falkland Islands became a British Crown Colony in 1842. From this point onwards, individuals, citizens and the authorities represented their status as citizens or organs of the British nation, embodied in the United Kingdom, through the use of the Union Jack, then called the "Union Flag". At sea, the British merchant flag, the "Red Ensign", was intended for British citizens from 1864. In a few cases, the citizens of a colony were authorised by the Admiralty to use their own Red Ensign with the colony's badge at sea. Such permission was granted to the Falkland Islands in 1999. In many British possessions, and in some cases also in the Commonwealth, private individuals began very early on to use a version with the badge instead of the simple red merchant flag (so-called Red Ensign) without authorisation, not only at sea but also on land. In some British possessions, Red Ensigns were created and used by citizens without authorisation. A further trend was and is that the state flag at sea (the so-called Blue Ensign), i.e. the authorities' sea flag with the local badge, is also used on land by civilians and even by authorities. In this way, unilateral facts were created that were usually only tolerated under protest. This was legalised for the Falkland Islands in 1999.

Nevertheless, the Union Flag is the actual national and state flag on land. In the Falkland Islands, since 1999, the "Blue Ensign" (actual state flag at sea) with the country's insignia may also be used on land as the national flag for decorative purposes if the governor has authorised this, for a limited period of time, e.g. at an event (also outside the country) or also for differentiation if the use of the Union flag would be inappropriate or could cause confusion. On land, however, the aspect ratio of the flag should be 3:5. A "Blue Ensign" is a dark blue bunting with a flag representation – the British Union Jack – in the upper corner and the country's badge in the flying end of the flag. The Union Jack emphasises the links with United Kingdom.

United Kingdom introduced a flag system in 1864 in which:
• war ships fly the "White Ensign" (naval flag), a white flag often with an uninterrupted red St. George's-Cross and with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag,
• merchant ships fly a "Red Ensign" (also named "Civil Ensign" → civil flag, the real merchant flag), a red flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag, and
• governmental ships fly the "Blue Ensign" (flag for the use by the gouvernment → the actual state flag), a blue flag with the Union Jack in the upper staff quadrant of the flag.

From 1865, the ships of the colonial governments were allowed to use a Blue Ensign with a badge at the flying end. The respective governments were to provide appropriate badges. Merchant ships and seafaring privateers from colonies were only allowed to use a Red Ensign with a badge if the British Admiralty had issued a corresponding licence for that colony.

Such a badge was often a regional landscape depiction on a disc, often showed ships, historical events or could simply be a kind of logo. Very often a badge also contained the name of the country or a motto. However, some possessions had a coat of arms from the beginning or were given their own coat of arms over the years and the badge was abolished. To ensure a largely uniform appearance in the flying end of the flags, coats of arms and other symbols were displayed on a white disc in the size of the former badges.

However, there were also exceptions, as some colonies dispensed with this white disc and placed their coat of arms or even just the shield – sometimes enlarged – directly on the bunting. As early as the 1940s, the white disc was removed and the coat of arms was applied directly or enlarged. This conversion process took place gradually, nowhere simultaneously and completely. In some British possessions flags with the white disc are still in use today, in others no longer and in some areas both variants exist side by side.

The first bagde was introduced in 1876. It showed a shoreline landscape with a wild cattle in the foreground, which once existed on the island. In the background is a ship, the HMS Hebe, which brought the first British settlers to the islands. The second badge from 1925 was already a coat of arms showing a sea lion and again a ship, this time Thomas Cavendish's "Desire". It was later rejected as "unsightly" and replaced in 1948 by the coat of arms, introduced in the same year, on a white disc. In 1999, the white disc was removed and the coat of arms was enlarged and placed at the waving end of the flag. The coat of arms shows a sheep on an island and a ship with English flags on the masts, again the "Desire" of Thomas Cavendish and below it a banner with the motto of the islands. The motto is: "Desire the Right".

Source: Die Welt der Flaggen, Flags of the World, Wikipedia (D), Volker Preuß

Coat of Arms

since 1948,
Coat of arms of the Falkland Islands,
Source, by: Wikipedia (D)


1876–1925,
Badge of the Falkland Islands,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN),
Sodacan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


1925–1948,
Badge of the Falkland Islands,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN),
Sodacan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons


1948–1999,
Badge of the Falkland Islands,
Source, by: Corel Draw 4, Wikipedia (D)

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of the Falkland Islands shows a blue shield with three white wavy bars in the bottom half since 1948. On the top of the shield is placed a white sheep on a green meadow. Over the wavy bars is placed a three-masted sailing ship, heraldical right floating. Under the shield is a banner with the state motto in English: "Desire the right". The sheep represents the for the islands important sheep breeding. The ship is Thomas Cavendish's "Desire", with which John Davis discovered the Falkland Islands in 1592. Badges were used on the flags of the Falkland Islands authorities between 1876 and 1999. The first badge from 1876 showed a shore landscape with a wild cow in the foreground, which once existed on the island. In the background was a ship, HMS Hebe, which brought the first British settlers to the islands. The second badge of 1925 was already a coat of arms showing a sea lion and again a ship, this time Thomas Cavendish's Desire. It was later rejected as "unsightly" and replaced in 1948 by the present coat of arms on a white disc. Nevertheless, that coat of arms is still used as the insignia of the "Falkland Islands Defence Force", a kind of volunteer land militia.

Source: Wikipedia (D), Wikipedia (EN), Volker Preuß

Map

Location:

Source: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries, modyfied by: Volker Preuß

Map of the country:

Source: CIA World Factbook


Quelle: Freeware, University of Texas Libraries, modyfied by: Volker Preuß

Numbers and Facts

Area: 4.700 square miles (without South Georgia and South-Sandwich-Is.), thereof East Falkland 2.580 sq.mi., West Falkland 2.038 sq.mi.

Inhabitants: ca. 3.000 (2020), and ca. 1.700 soldiers as a garrison

Religions: mostly Protestants, some Anglicans and Catholics

Density of Population: 0,64 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Stanley (Port Stanley), 2.120 inh. (2012)

official Language: English

Currency: Falkland-Islands-Pound (F.I.-£, FKP) = 100 Pence

Time Zone: GMT – 3 h

Source: Wikipedia (D)

History

1592 · discovered by the Englishman John Davis (by other informations in 1520 by a Spaniard or even in 1594 by the Englishman Hawkins)

1690 · re-discovered by the Englishman John Strong

1763 · French Settlement

1764 · British Settlement

1763 · establishment of Port Louis (French)

1765 · establishment of Port Egmont (Brit.)

1766 · Spain purchases the French villages

1767–1770 · expulsion of the French and British settlers by the Spanish

1811 · Spain surrenders the Falkland Islands, but the Spanish settlers stay

1820 · Rio de la Plata (former name of Argentina) raises demands for the Falkland Islands

1826 · Argentina raises demands for the Falkland Islands

1833 · United Kingdom takes possession of the Falkland Islands and expels the Spanish settlers

1842 · British crown colony

1982 · Argentina defeats United Kingdom in the Falkland War

1985 · the Falkland Islands receive a constitution

2009 · new constitution, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands lose their status as a dependency of the Falkland Islands and are spun off as a separate colony, but the Governor of the Falkland Islands administers this islands in personal union as Commissioner

2013 · Referendum, 99.8 % of residents vote to remain with United Kingdom

Source: Wikipedia (D), Atlas zur Geschichte, Discovery '97, Handbuch der geographischen Namen

Origin of the Country's Name

The Falkland Islands have been repeatedly discovered, because they are apparently were forgotten again and again. Ever since the discovery of Cape Horn in 1616 grew the strategic importance of the region, so that the rediscovery by the British seafarer John Strong became important for the naming the islands. They got the name of the Treasurer of the Queen and of the authority of John Strong: L. C. Falkland. From 1763 French from Saint-Malo colonized the islands, which gave them the name of their city: Îles Malouines (Malvinas). When the British returned in 1833, the islands were renamed back to Falkland Islands, but France and Argentina maintained the name Malvinas.

Source: Handbuch der geographischen Namen