Editing History of the Falkland Islands (section)

==Post-war==
[[File:Kirchner-UN General Assembly (2007).jpg|right|thumb|President [[Néstor Kirchner]] continued to pursue Argentine claims to the islands.]]

Following the war, Britain focused on improving its facilities on the islands. It increased its military presence significantly, building a large base at [[RAF Mount Pleasant]] and its port at [[Mare Harbour]]. It also invested heavily in improving facilities in Stanley and transport and infrastructure around the islands, tarmacking the Stanley–Mount Pleasant road and many roads within Stanley.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/south-america/falkland-islands
|title = Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
|publisher= [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]
|year = 2011
|access-date = 22 September 2011}}</ref> The population has risen due to the growth of Stanley, but has declined in ''Camp'' (the countryside). Since November 2008, a regular [[ferry]] service has linked East and West Falkland, carrying cars, passengers and cargo serviced by MV ''Concordia Bay'', a {{convert|42.45|m|ftin|abbr=on}} twin-screw shallow draught landing craft.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.holyheadtowing.co.uk/vessels/concordia-bay/
|title = Concordia Bay
|publisher = Holyhead Towing Company Ltd
|year = 2010
|access-date = 2010-12-29
|archive-date = 1 February 2014
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140201211212/http://www.holyheadtowing.co.uk/vessels/concordia-bay/
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>

A major change to the governance of the Falkland Islands was introduced by the 1985 constitution. The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) became a parliamentary representative dependency, whose members are democratically elected; while the governor, as head of government and representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|monarch]], is purely a figurehead without [[Executive (government)|executive powers]]. Effectively, the Falkland Islands are self-governing, with the exception of foreign policy. (The FIG represents itself at the [[United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation]], as the British Government no longer attends.)

Links with Argentina were severed in the post-war period, and laws introduced forbidding Argentine citizens from buying land. An alternative trading partner was found in [[Chile]], with links developing over the years, including flights to [[Punta Arenas, Chile|Punta Arenas]] (in the far south of Patagonian Chile, near Tierra del Fuego). In recent years, Argentines have been allowed to visit the islands again, often to visit the military cemeteries where their friends and loved ones are buried.

[[File:Falklands-Minefield.JPG|thumb|An Argentine minefield at Port William]]

[[Land mine]]s were a persistent problem for 38 years following the war. Land mine clearance was completed by November 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://penguin-news.com/headlines/community/2020/falklands-community-invited-to-reclaim-the-beach-to-celebrate-completion-of-demining/|title=Falklands community invited to 'Reclaim the Beach' to celebrate completion of demining – Penguin News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54894171|title = Falkland islanders celebrate being landmine free - after nearly 40 years|publisher = BBC News|date = 14 November 2020}}</ref>

In 1983, the UK passed the [[British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983|British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act]] granting full [[British nationality law|British citizenship]] to the islanders. High-profile dignitaries visited to show British commitment to the islands, including Margaret Thatcher, the [[Charles III of the United Kingdom|Prince of Wales]], and [[Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy|Princess Alexandra]]. In 1985, the Falkland Islands Dependency was split into the Falkland Islands proper and a newly separate territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Relations between the UK and Argentina remained hostile after 1982. Although the [[United Nations General Assembly]] passed a resolution calling on the UK and Argentina to return to negotiations over the Islands' future,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/37/a37r009.htm|title=A/RES/37/9. Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas)|publisher=United Nations}}</ref> the UK ruled out further talks over the islands' sovereignty. The UK also maintained the arms [[embargo]] against Argentina that they initiated during the war, compelling the Argentine armed forces (a traditional UK buyer) to switch to other markets. Diplomatic relations were restored in 1989.

Relations between the [[English settlement in Argentina|UK and Argentina]] improved further in the 1990s. In 1998, Argentine President [[Carlos Menem]] visited London, where he reaffirmed Argentina claims to the Islands, but stated that only peaceful means would be used for their recovery. In 2001, UK Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] visited Argentina, where he stated his hope that the UK and Argentina could resolve their differences. However, no talks on sovereignty took place during the visit.

===Increased British military presence and new bases===
{{main|RAF Mount Pleasant|Mare Harbour}}
After the war, the British still faced potential future aggression, so an aircraft carrier was kept on station guarding the islands with its [[Squadron (aviation)|squadron]] of Sea Harriers, while the local airfield was prepared for jet aircraft. {{HMS|Hermes|R12|6}} took guard duty first, whilst {{HMS|Invincible|R05|6}} went north to change a gearbox. ''Invincible'' then returned to relieve ''Hermes'', which urgently needed to have its boilers cleaned. ''Invincible'' remained until {{HMS|Illustrious|R06|6}} was rushed south (being commissioned during the journey). Once the Port Stanley runway was ready for jets, several RAF [[F-4 Phantom]]s were stationed there, relieving ''Illustrious.''

The islands lacked barracks for a permanent garrison, so the Ministry of defence chartered two former car ferries as [[barracks ship]]s: {{ship|TEV|Rangatira|1971|2}} from the [[Union Company]] of New Zealand and {{MV|Saint Edmund||2}} from [[Sealink]] in Britain.<ref name=NZMaritime>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/r4.htm |last=Castell |first=Marcus |title=The Turbo Electric Vessel Rangatira of 1971 |publisher=The New Zealand Maritime Record |date=2003–2005 |access-date=29 May 2013 |archive-date=14 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914030656/http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/r4.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Rangatira'' arrived in Port Stanley on 11 July 1982 and stayed until 26 September 1983.<ref name=NZMaritime/>

Later, the British government decided to construct a new RAF base as the centrepiece of plans to strengthen the island defences and deter any further attempts to take the Falklands by force. This was a massive undertaking – including construction of the world's longest corridor, {{convert|1/2|mi|m|abbr=off|spell=in}} linking the barracks, messes, recreation and welfare areas of the base.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/|archive-url=https://swap.stanford.edu/20081217070228/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 December 2008|title=News|date=15 March 2016|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London}}</ref> The base is occasionally referred to by residents as "the [[Death Star]]" because of its vast size and sometimes confusing layout.

[[File:Mount-Pleasant.JPG|thumb|RAF Mount Pleasant]]
[[RAF Mount Pleasant|Mount Pleasant]], to the west of Stanley, was chosen as the site for the new base. The airfield was opened by [[Prince Andrew, Duke of York|The Duke of York]] in 1985, and became fully operational in 1986.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.falklands.gov.fk/3.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505083303/http://www.falklands.gov.fk/3.htm|url-status=dead|title=Falkland Islands Government|archivedate=5 May 2006}}</ref>

Using the [[IATA airport code]] MPN, RAF Mount Pleasant also acts as the Falkland Islands' only international airport, in addition to its military role. Flights open to civilian passengers are operated twice-weekly.<ref name=FITB>{{cite web | url= http://www.falklandislands.com/section.php/18/1/by_air/24562579197d5f6acef84dbca8721ee8 | title= Getting Here (By Air) | publisher= Falkland Islands Tourist Board | access-date= 2009-01-05}}</ref>
These flights are currently operated by a civilian airline on behalf of the Royal Air Force, and fly to and from [[RAF Brize Norton]] in [[Oxfordshire]], UK with a refuelling stop at [[RAF Ascension Island]] in the south-central Atlantic Ocean. Chilean airline [[LAN Airlines]] also operate weekly flights from [[Santiago]].<ref name=FITB/>

===Attempts at diversifying the economy===
[[File:Port-William.JPG|left|thumb|A squid trawler, and a cruise ship in [[Port William, Falkland Islands|Port William]] representing two trends in recent economic development]]

Before the Falklands War, sheep-farming was the Falkland Islands' only industry.<ref name="browne20020317">{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/mar/17/uk.falklands?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 | title=Falkland Islands millionaires reap the war dividend | work=The Observer | date=2002-03-17 | access-date=15 July 2012 | author=Browne, Anthony}}</ref> Since the late 1980s, when two species of [[squid]] popular with consumers were discovered in substantial numbers near the Falklands, fishing has become the largest part of the economy.<ref name="herbert20070118">{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/wanted-holiday-rep-to-sell-joys-of-falklands-tourism-432581.html | title=Wanted: holiday rep to sell joys of Falklands tourism | work=The Independent|location=London | date=2007-01-18 | access-date=10 August 2012 | author=Herbert, Ian}}</ref>

On 14 September 2011, Rockhopper Exploration announced plans under way for oil production to commence in 2016, through the use of [[Floating production storage and offloading|Floating production storage and offloading (FPSO)]] technology, replicating the methodology used on the [[Foinaven oilfield|Foinaven field]] off the [[Shetland Islands]].<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk/pdf/cap_markets/RKH_CapMark_Section_04Development.pdf
 |title       = Capital Markets Presentation - Development
 |publisher   = Rockhopper Exploration plc
 |date        = 14 September 2011
 |access-date  = 2011-09-14
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120123135610/http://www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk/pdf/cap_markets/RKH_CapMark_Section_04Development.pdf
 |archive-date = 23 January 2012
}}</ref> The production site will require approximately 110 people working offshore and another 40 working onshore.<ref>Rockhopper presentation - page 130</ref> The oil is expected to trade at {{nowrap|90–105%}} of the Brent crude price.<ref>Rockhopper presentation - page 151</ref>

Some small businesses attempted at Fox Bay have included a market garden, a salmon farm and a knitting mill with "Warrah Knitwear".

[[Tourism]] is the second-largest part of the economy.{{r|herbert20070118}} The war brought the islands newfound fame; now tourists come both to see wildlife and go on war tours. Cruise ships often visit, frequently as a tie-in to [[Tourism in Antarctica|Antarctica]].{{r|browne20020317}} Nonetheless, the remoteness of the archipelago, and the lack of direct flights to major cities, make the Falklands an expensive destination.

===Conservation===
In line with increasing global interest in [[Environmentalism|environmental issues]], some nature reserves have been established around the islands, although there are no national parks. In 1990, the Clifton family who owned [[Sea Lion Island]] sold it to the Falkland Island Development Company. They had planted 60,000 stands of [[tussac grass]],<ref name="Wigglesworth" /> considered important because on the main islands much tussac has been depredated by grazing. A similar trend may be seen on [[Bleaker Island]], where the farm "went organic" in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} Also in the 1990s, Steeple Jason Island and [[Grand Jason Island]] were bought by [[New York City|New York]] philanthropist [[Michael Steinhardt]], who later donated them to the [[Bronx Zoo]]-based [[Wildlife Conservation Society]]. He also gave them [[US dollar|US$]]425,000 to build a conservation station named after himself and his wife Judy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/annualreportofwi1999wild/annualreportofwi1999wild_djvu.txt|title=Full text of "Annual report of the Wildlife Conservation Society"|via=Internet Archive|year=1999|access-date=2017-01-26}}</ref>