Flights to Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

The Falkland Islands – geography and weather

The Falkland Islands, or Islas Malvinas as they are called in Spanish, are an island group in the South Atlantic. In the UK this group of islands is often referred to as the Falklands. Geographically, the islands are part of South America and are located 600-800 km east of southern Argentina and the Tierra del Fuego. Politically, the Falkland islands are a British overseas territory. Since 1833, the islands have been claimed by Argentina, which led to the Falklands war in 1982 that was provoked by Argentina, in the end won at by the UK. The "Falklands" have now become a popular tourist destination attracting up to 50,000 tourists annually. The islands' unique wildlife, especially the penguin colonies and albatrosses, attract many visitors to the islands.

The Falkland Islands consist of about 200 islands, the most important of these are West Falkland (Arg: Gran Malvina) and East Falkland (Arg: Soledad), each with an area of 6,000 km ². The northern parts of the two main islands are covered with hills. These extend from the west to the east. Mount Usborne has an altitude of 708 m.

The islands have a cold, rainy and windy climate with mild winters and cool summers.

Falklands Travel and the capital city

The International Airport Mount Pleasant Airport is about 56 km or 35 miles from the city of Stanley. Flights to the Falkland Islands are only available from the UK and Chile. British Airways and LAN Chile fly from London Gatwick to Santiago de Chile. Once a week, on Saturdays, LAN Chile flies to Punta Arenas in Chile and from there on to Stanley.

The capital, Stanley is the cultural and economic centre of the Falkland Islands. Port Stanley Church is worth visiting, the world's southernmost Anglican church.