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
History of the Falkland Islands areas have been cleared, massive minefields are still to be found on both the main islands and elsewhere, particularly in the areas immediately around Stanley. Because peat moves over time, the mines themselves have shifted location. As well as the military build-up, the UK also passed the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 which granted full British citizenship to the islanders. High-profile British dignitaries also visited to show British commitment to the islands, including Margaret Thatcher, the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra. In 1985, the Falkland Islands Dependency was split into the Falkland Islands proper and a new separate