West Falkland
| West Falkland | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Waters | South Atlantic |
| Archipelago | Falkland Islands |
| Geographical location | 51 ° 48 ′ S , 60 ° 8 ′ W |
 |
|
| surface | 4th 532 km² |
| Highest elevation |
Mount Adam 700 m |
| Residents | 127 (2012) <1 inh / km² |
| main place | Port Howard |
 |
|
Western Falkland ( Spanish Gran Malvina ) is the second largest of the Falkland Islands with 4,532 km² (5,413 km² including the smaller offshore islands) . The hilly island is separated from the East Falklands by the Falklandsund . The highest point on the island is the 700 m high Mount Adam .
Compared to the main island, the population is 127 people (a decrease since 2001, when 144 were counted). The inhabitants are concentrated in a few settlements on the coast. The largest town is Port Howard , where the main airstrip is located. Other settlements are Albemarle , Chartres , Dunnose Head , Fox Bay , Fox Bay West, Hill Cove , Port Stephens and Roy Cove , which in most cases are connected by roads and also have runways and ports.
The island's economy is mainly based on sheep farming and fishing, which is also practiced in the two rivers Warrah and Chartres . The first settlement of Port Egmont on Saunders Island was established by the British in 1766.
During the Falklands War of 1982, the island was a smaller area of operations. The most important and only combat action on the ground was the skirmish at Many Branch Point . A British SAS officer, Gavin Hamilton, was killed. The Royal Air Force operates two reconnaissance stations on Mount Alice and Mount Byron . Due to the low population density, the nature of the island is still largely intact. West Falkland is known for its large penguin , cormorant and elephant seal colonies .
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Falkland Islands Census of 2012
- ↑ Woodward, Sandy: The one hundred days. Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN 0-00-215723-3 .
Web links
- www.falklandislands.com (portal in English)
- Official website of the government (English) including a detailed map
