West Falkland is the second largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, with an area of approximately 4,532 km² (5,413 km² including the adjacent small islands). It is a hilly island, separated from East Falkland by the Falkland Sound. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant East Falkland (Isla Soledad the largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, has an area of 6605 square kilometres (2550 sq mi. The Falkland Sound (Estrecho de San Carlos is a sea Strait in the Falkland Islands.
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Population
The island has a population of fewer than 200 people, scattered around the coastline. The largest settlement is Port Howard on the east coast, which has an airstrip. Port Howard ( Spanish /Argentine name Puerto Mitre sometimes Puerto Howard in Spanish is the largest settlement on West Falkland (unless Fox Bay is An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land Other settlements include Albemarle, Chartres, Dunnose Head, Fox Bay, Fox Bay West, Hill Cove, Port Stephens, and Roy Cove, most of which are linked by road and also have airstrips and harbours. Port Albemarle ( Spanish: Puerto Santa Eufemia) is a settlement on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands. Chartres is one of the main settlements on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands. Dunnose Head is a small settlement on West Falkland, at the mouth of King George Bay. Fox Bay ( Spanish: Bahia Fox or Bahia Zorro is the second largest settlement on West Falkland in the Falkland Islands Fox Bay ( Spanish: Bahia Fox or Bahia Zorro is the second largest settlement on West Falkland in the Falkland Islands Hill Cove is the third largest settlement on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands, in the north west Port Stephens is a settlement on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands. Roy Cove is a settlement on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands, in the north west A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences) or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the Weather or are stored
As such it considered part of the "camp", a Falklander term meaning any area outside Stanley (and often RAF Mount Pleasant) on East Falkland
Geography and wildlife
West Falkland is more hilly near the east island; the principal mountain range, the Hornby Hills, runs north and south parallel with Falkland Sound. The Camp is the term used in the Falkland Islands to refer to any part of the islands outside of the islands' only significant town Stanley, and often the large "Port Stanley" redirects here For the town in Canada see Port Stanley Ontario. RAF Mount Pleasant (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a military base for the Royal Air Force in East Falkland (Isla Soledad the largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, has an area of 6605 square kilometres (2550 sq mi. The Falkland Islands Wolf ( Dusicyon australis) also known as the Warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands Dog, Falkland Islands Fox East Falkland (Isla Soledad the largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, has an area of 6605 square kilometres (2550 sq mi. The Hornby Mountains (or "hills" are a mountain range on West Falkland in the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Sound (Estrecho de San Carlos is a sea Strait in the Falkland Islands. Mount Adam, the highest hill in the islands, is 2315 ft. Mount Adam ( Spanish: "Monte Independencia/Monte Beaufort" 2315 ft high.
The major industry on the island is sheep farming, while it is also known for its penguin and cormorant colonies. Sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of Domestic sheep, and a subcategory of Animal husbandry. Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquatic, flightless Birds living almost The Bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 Species of cormorants and shags. Fishing is also popular in the two main rivers, the Warrah and the Chartres. Warrah River is one of the two largest watercourses on West Falkland. Chartres River is one of the two largest watercourses on West Falkland, along with the Warrah River.
In the 19th century as today, indigenous land fauna was very scanty. A small wolf, the warrah, the loup-renard of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, is extinct, the last having been seen about 1875 on the West Falkland. The Falkland Islands Wolf ( Dusicyon australis) also known as the Warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands Dog, Falkland Islands Fox Louis-Antoine comte de Bougainville ( November 12 1729 Paris - August 31 1811 Paris) was a French navigator and military It is commemorated in the name of one of the island's rivers, the "Warrah". Some herds of cattle and horses ran wild; but these were, of course, introduced, as were also the wild hogs, the numerous rabbits and the less common hares. All these have greatly declined in numbers, being profitably replaced by sheep.
The southernmost point of West Falkland is Cape Meredith, and the most south-westerly Calm Head. Cape Meredith (Cabo Meredith Argentine name "Cabo Belgrano" is the southern Extreme of West Falkland in the Falkland Islands. Calm Head is the most south westerly point of the Falkland Islands, and is on West Falkland. On the southerly side lie high cliffs with an abundance of seabirds and to the west are some white sandy beaches with beautiful clean water and rolling sand dunes with tall grass. Set just back from the top of the cliffs is a single wooden hut locally referred to as Uncle Tom's Cabin. The beaches are a favourite haunt for elephant seals and are unpolluted save for the occasional piece of wreckage and the odd washed-up tree trunk. Elephant seals are large oceangoing Mammals in the Genus Mirounga, in the Earless seal (Phocidae family.
Geology
Most of the layers of West Falkland and its surrounding islands are slightly inclined from the horizontal. This inclination shows different types from rocks in different places. The quartzites of Port Stephens and Stanley are more resistant than the arenaceous sediments of the formation at Fox Bay. Port Stephens is a settlement on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands. "Port Stanley" redirects here For the town in Canada see Port Stanley Ontario. Fox Bay ( Spanish: Bahia Fox or Bahia Zorro is the second largest settlement on West Falkland in the Falkland Islands The Hornby Mountains, near Falkland Sound have experienced tectonic forces of uplift and folding by which the quartzite beds of Stanley are inclined to the vertical. The Hornby Mountains (or "hills" are a mountain range on West Falkland in the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Sound (Estrecho de San Carlos is a sea Strait in the Falkland Islands.
In West Falkland there are several dykes that cut the rocks of the western islands, but these dykes, unlike the previous ones, are chemically more unstable and have been eroded and the only indication of their existence is the aligned linear depressions. In the margins of these depressions there is evidence of contact baking or hornfels formation adjacent to the once molten basalt dyke. Hornfels ( German, meaning "hornstone" is the group designation for a series of contact metamorphic rocks that have been baked and indurated by the heat
History
Despite the first recorded landing on the (main islands) of the Falklands taking place on West Falkland, it was settled remarkably late.
Early explorers reported the remains of canoes on West Falkland, and while the warrah provides compelling evidence of a native American discovery it is unclear whether it was a one way trip, or indeed if the canoes were not swept in from Patagonia. The Falkland Islands Wolf ( Dusicyon australis) also known as the Warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands Dog, Falkland Islands Fox Llao LLaojpg|thumb|250px| Lake Nahuel Huapi, near Bariloche, Argentina
Captain John Strong of the Welfare made the first recorded landing on either of the main islands (West and East Falkland) on 29th January, 1690, at Bold Cove on the other side of the headland from Port Howard. John Strong may refer to John Strong (Michigan politician John Franklin Alexander Strong (1856–1929 Alaskan politician Bold Cove is a small inlet on West Falkland near Port Howard on Falkland Sound, notable for its history Port Howard ( Spanish /Argentine name Puerto Mitre sometimes Puerto Howard in Spanish is the largest settlement on West Falkland (unless Fox Bay is He said:
- "Wednesday this morning we weighed and stood unto an harbour on ye west side and there came to ane anchor and sent our boat on shoar for fresh water and did kill abundance of geese and ducks but as far as wood there is none. "
The lack of wood is somewhat surprising, since while there were no trees growing there, driftwood frequently washes up on Falkland beaches, although this may be accounted for by the sheltered nature of Bold Cove. Strong ended up giving his name to the islands, by naming Falkland Sound which gave its name to all the islands. The Falkland Sound (Estrecho de San Carlos is a sea Strait in the Falkland Islands.
In 1867 there were no settlers on the west island, and the government issued a proclamation offering leases of grazing stations on very moderate terms. In 1868 all the available land was occupied.
West Falkland saw some activity during the Falklands War in 1982; Fox Bay, Port Howard and Pebble Island were all occupied by Argentine troops during the hosilities and where subjected to occasional British Naval bombardment and air attacks. The Falklands War (Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the Fox Bay ( Spanish: Bahia Fox or Bahia Zorro is the second largest settlement on West Falkland in the Falkland Islands Port Howard ( Spanish /Argentine name Puerto Mitre sometimes Puerto Howard in Spanish is the largest settlement on West Falkland (unless Fox Bay is Pebble Island (Isla Borbón is one of the Falkland Islands, lying north of West Falkland. Shag Cove saw several Argentine aircraft downed after British Harrier jump jets attacked them. Shag Cove is a bay in the east of West Falkland, between Mount Maria and Mount Moody on Falkland Sound During the Falklands War Operation Canbelow took place to the west of the island and the raid on Pebble Island has gone down in British Special Forces history. During the Falklands War, Operation Canbelow was a planned British anti-aircraft ambush conducted on the night of 5 June, 1982 off the western The Raid on Pebble Island took place on 14 - 15 May 1982 during the Falklands War.
These days it is also home to two RAF Reporting Posts: Mount Alice, which is near Port Albermarle in the south of the island, and Mount Byron in the north. Port Albemarle ( Spanish: Puerto Santa Eufemia) is a settlement on West Falkland, in the Falkland Islands. These military units are openly listed in the RAF document "RAF Today" (see below).
In early 2007 the Falkland Islands Government awarded a contract to supply an East-West ferry to Workboat Services Ltd. This is due to start in late 2007 and will run between Port Howard and New Haven. Port Howard ( Spanish /Argentine name Puerto Mitre sometimes Puerto Howard in Spanish is the largest settlement on West Falkland (unless Fox Bay is
External links
References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
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