Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute Sovereignty over the Falkland Islands () is disputed by Argentina and the United Kingdom. The British claim to sovereignty dates from 1690, and the United Kingdom has exercised "de facto" sovereignty over the archipelago almost continuously since 1833. Argentina has long disputed this claim, having been in control of the islands for a few years prior to 1833. The dispute escalated in 1982, when Argentina invaded the islands, precipitating the Falklands War. Contemporary Falkland Islanders overwhelmingly prefer to remain British. They gained full British citizenship with the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983, after British victory
Falkland Islands status Supreme Court of the Falkland Islands. According to the 2012 census, a majority of those with Falkland Islands Status are British Citizens, with 11% coming from 58 other countries (including 18 Argentine nationals). Before the current Falkland Islands Constitution came into force on 1 January 2009, Falkland Islands Status was defined by the 1985 Constitution, under which a person was eligible for Falkland Islands Status if they were: Under section 22(5) of the current Falkland Islands Constitution, a person is entitled to Falkland Islands status if they are: Since 2007, all new applicants for Falkland Islands Status, if their application