Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Background
Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.
Location
Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
Geographic co-ordinates
51 45 S, 59 00 W
Map references
South America
Area
Total: 12,173 sq km ; land: 12,173 sq km ; water: 0 sq km ; note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate
Cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
Terrain
Rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Natural resources
Fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
Natural Hazards
Strong winds persist throughout the year
Nationality
Noun: Falkland Islander(s) ; adjective: Falkland Island
Languages
English
Country name
Conventional long form: none ; conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Capital
Name: Stanley ; geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 W ; time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April
National holiday
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Fish and wool processing; tourism
Currency code
Falkland pound (FKP)
Internet code
.fk
Faroe Island
Background
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self government was attained in 1948.
Location
Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway
Geographic co-ordinates
62 00 N, 7 00 W
Map references
Europe
Area
Total: 1,399 sq km ; land: 1,399 sq km ; water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)
Area- comparative
Eight times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
Mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy
Terrain
Rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast
Natural Hazards
Fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Nationality
Noun: Faroese (singular and plural) ; adjective: Faroese
Languages
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Country name
Conventional long form: none ; conventional short form: Faroe Islands ; local long form: none ; local short form: Foroyar
Capital
Name: Torshavn ; geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W ; time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
None (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 34 municipalities
National holiday
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts
Currency code
Danish krone (DKK)
Internet code
.fo
Fiji
Background
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president. In January 2007, BAINIMARAMA was appointed interim prime minister.
Location
Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic co-ordinates
18 00 S, 175 00 E
Map references
Oceania
Area
Total: 18,270 sq km ; land: 18,270 sq km ; water: 0 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than New Jersey
Climate
Tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
Mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Natural resources
Timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
Natural Hazards
Cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
Nationality
Noun: Fijian(s) ; adjective: Fijian
Languages
English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands ; conventional short form: Fiji ; local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti ; local short form: Fiji/Viti
Capital
Name: Suva (on Viti Levu) ; geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E ; time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western
National holiday
Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
Currency code
Fijian dollar (FJD)
Internet code
.fj
Ports and terminals
Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva
Finland
Background
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Location
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Geographic co-ordinates
64 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
Total: 338,145 sq km ; land: 304,473 sq km ; water: 33,672 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than Montana
Climate
Cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Terrain
Mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Natural resources
Timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Natural Hazards
Air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Nationality
Noun: Finn(s) ; adjective: Finnish
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Finland ; conventional short form: Finland ; local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland ; local short form: Suomi/Finland
Capital
Name: Helsinki ; geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 58 E ; time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Currency code
euro (EUR)
Internet code
.fi
Ports and terminals
Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvoo, Raahe, Rauma, Turku
France
Background
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.
Location
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain ; French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname ; Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico ; Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago ; Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Geographic co-ordinates
46 00 N, 2 00 E ; French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W ; Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W ; Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W ; Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E
Map references
Europe ; French Guiana: South America ; Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean ; Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean ; Reunion: World
Area
Total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France) ; land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km sq km (metropolitan France) ; water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France)
Area- comparative
Slightly less than the size of Texas
Climate
Generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral ; French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation ; Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devasting cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average ; Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)
Terrain
Mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east ; French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains ; Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin ; Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano ; Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Natural resources
Coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish ; French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay
Natural Hazards
Metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean ; overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)
Nationality
Noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) ; adjective: French
Languages
Basque, Flemish) ; overseas departments: French, Creole patois
Country name
Conventional long form: French Republic ; conventional short form: France ; local long form: Republique francaise ; local short form: France
Capital
Name: Paris ; geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E ; time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Martinique, Reunion, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes ; note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4 overseas departments
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Currency code
euro (EUR)
Ports and terminals
Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), Bordeaux, Calais, Degrad de Cannes (French Guiana), Dunkerque, Fort-de-France (Martinique), Gustavia (Guadeloupe), La Pallice, La Trinite (Martinique), Le Havre, Le Port (Reunion), Marin (Martinique), Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Rouen, Strasbourg
French Polynesia
Background
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Location
Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Geographic co-ordinates
15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references
Oceania
Area
Total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) ; land: 3,660 sq km ; water: 507 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Climate
Tropical, but moderate
Terrain
Mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Natural resources
Timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Natural hazards
Occasional cyclonic storms in January
Nationality
Noun: French Polynesian(s) ; adjective: French Polynesian
Country name
Conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia ; conventional short form: French Polynesia ; local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise ; local short form: Polynesie Francaise ; former: French Colony of Oceania
Capital
Name: Papeete ; geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W ; time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Currency code
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Internet code
.pf
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Background
The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.
Location
Southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"
Geographic co-ordinates
43 00 S, 67 00 E
Map references
Antarctic Region
Area
Total: 7,829 sq km ; land: 7,829 sq km ; water: 0 sq km ; note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Area- comparative
Slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Climate
Antarctic
Terrain
Volcanic
Natural resources
Fish, crayfish
Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands ; conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands ; local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises ; local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises ; abbreviation: TAAF
Flag
Ports and Terminals
None; offshore anchorage only