Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute

Timeline of de facto control
April 1764
– February 1767
 France
January 1765
– July 1770
 Great Britain
February 1767
– February 1811
 Spain
September 1771
– May 1774
 Great Britain
February 1811
– August 1829
None
August 1829
– December 1831
 United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
December 1831
– January 1832
 United States
January–December 1832 None
December 1832
– January 1833
 Argentine Confederation
January–August 1833  United Kingdom[Note 1]
August 1833
– January 1834
None
January 1834
– April 1982
 United Kingdom
April–June 1982 Argentina Argentina
June 1982
– present
 United Kingdom

Sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Spanish: Islas Malvinas) is disputed by Argentina and the United Kingdom. The British claim to sovereignty dates from 1690, when they made the first recorded landing on the islands,[1] and the United Kingdom has exercised de facto sovereignty over the archipelago almost continuously since 1833. Argentina has long disputed this claim, having been in control of the islands for a few years prior to 1833. The dispute escalated in 1982, when Argentina invaded the islands, precipitating the Falklands War.

Falkland Islanders overwhelmingly prefer to remain British. Following the British victory in the Falklands War, they were granted full British citizenship under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983.


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  1. ^ "John Strong | English statesman". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 August 2020.