POPULATION:
3,100

LITERACY RATE:
98%
SELF DEFENSE FORCES:
EDF Forces
LANGUAGES:
  English, Spanish
ETHNIC GROUPS:
 Islanders (natives of UK descent)) 50%, British 25%, European other 15%, Argentinian  5%, other 5%,
BORDERING COUNTRIES:
None
The Falkland, Malvina, South Georgia and Sandwich Islands - The area around the Falkands was first discovered to be oil rich in the mid-1990s by the petroleum company Royal Dutch Shell, oil rigs were immediately constructed causing some amount of protest from local fishermen, this was largely ignored by the rest of the world, too concerned about the global collapse to care.  To protect these sites, and to curtail unliscensed fishing, a naval outpost (mostly made up of a handful of fast patrol boats and a few helicopters, what you'd call a quick-response anti-smuggler unit) is estabilished bolstering the existing garrison. Some minor incidents with Argentina, as a number of fish-poaching ships arrested by the naval force are Argentinian.  This culminates with the 1998 sinking of the Haleys Dream, a legitimate Argentinian fishing vessel that opened fire on approaching RN vessels.  It is theorized that the Argentinian vessels radio was down (they had reported radio problems with their last transmission) and it is possible they RN vessels to be pirates, heavy fog and darkness of night obscuring their vision.  Regardless, once fired upon, the RN unloaded everything they had into the vessel, a tracer round igniting auxillary fuel drums stowed on deck.  There were no survivors to eplain the Argentinian vessels reaction, and the incident was the begining of renewed animosity between Argentina and the EDF, as well as the Falkland islands that provided the British witht he bases the attack was launched from.  All of this was only more fuel for the fire slowly smoldering since the notorious Falklands war of the 1980's ending in the Falklands independence from Argentina in 1982.   Argentina has disputed this ever since, refusing to acknowledge any measure of independence (going as far as to claim the islands in their constitution) for the Falklands and viewing the Europeans as hostile invaders controlling Argentinian soil.

After the military coup in Britain in 2001, Argentinians attempted to reclaim the islands, guessing that British - occupied with home trouble - wouldn't notice it.  However, the plan was uncovered by British intelligence, and the landing party is followed by a British hunter sub, and welcomed at the border of Falklands territorial waters by the British contingent. MLA issued strict warnings to the Argentinian forces that any attempt to violate the border of Falklands would be perceived as an act of war, and "responded to with ultimate force, including nuclear weapons".  Argentinian intelligence reported a number of British "Boomers" (SSBN's) to be off base, presumably in the South Atlantic. A brief stand-off occurs before the Argentinian fleet returned withdrew.  To prevent any further incidents, the MLA bolstered the Falklands garrison with troops and aircraft, as well as a small fleet detached into that area, including a number of submersibles, and at least one boomer.  Preparation is made to estabilish a full-sized naval base in the archipelago.

Argentina again protests, this time their message gets national coverage, though it does them little good.

Finally, EU came in with a mediation, which resulted in the base being built under European banner. A series of agreements is being made, ensuring that the facility would be operated by the EDF, Argentinian inspectors will be allowed in, and thatArgentina will be allowed to buy European military hardware on preferential conditions.  Argentinian fishing corporations were also awarded a number of fishing licenses and a healthy fishing quota in the Falkland waters were given to the Argentinian government.

Within a few years, the base was up, and then enlarged to become a large-scale cold climate and naval training center, administered by Sternmeyer under EDF jurisdiction (since high-profile military training ops aren't well accepted by EU pulbic opinion, especially due to eco-activist protests). Argentinians are calmed down by the possibility to train their troops there, as well as Argentinian companies winning several supply & maintenance contracts in the grounds. The EDF further warmed the treaty with more military technologies being sold to Argentina.

This new wave of cooperation causes a significant number of Argentinian citizens to settle on the Falklands, catering to the armed forces, or working for corporations.

The most prominent corporation in the region is IMA, which has been given the administration of the fishing.  IMA takes on fishing, although still a number of fisihing licenses remain at the disposal of Argentinian government.

Around 2015, the EDF decide to outsource the training grounds to Sternmeyer, retaining right to train there whenever they wish. Sternmeyer builds a second base on Falklands (they hadn't been given the EDF one, which is still in use).

Falklands economy is booming, with the fishing, petroleum and oil corporations firmly in place. The Falklan islands is also home to the only commercial reindeer ranches unaffected by the Chernobyl disaster in the world, of course the commercial market for reindeer is somewhat skeptical, but its something to hang their hats on. 

Tourism in the Falklands has seen a boom, mostly due to the historical importance of the Falklands war, despite the miserable and cold climate of the area.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) are a British overseas territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia – which measures approximately 106.25 miles (170 km) by 18 miles (29 km) and is by far the largest island in the territory – and a group of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands.

Up to the 60s of the 20th century, the territory was a site of a major whaling operation – today, the name of South Georgia’s capital, Grytviken, survives in old sailor shanties only. After the whaling ceased, South Georgia became home to British arctic research station (there were also a few other people living there – usually less than two dozen in total). The territory was, like the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) claimed by Argentina, and briefly occupied by Argentinian troops during the Falkland War.

Currently, there’s still an arctic research station (as well as a good number of automated weather stations), but South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands have been adapted to play an important role in the EU military operation in the Antarctic region. There’s a naval surveillance post at Mount Paget on South Georgia, with powerful radar and passive sonar / hydrophone installations, scattered thorough the region.

Prince Olav Harbour is an another important facility – apart from a small harbour, there’s an air base, where a handful of long-range maritime patrol & reconnaissance aircraft are stationed, providing coverage and intervention capability in the South Atlantic.

The Prince Olav base has also the size and facilities (probably also the supplies) to accommodate a several hundred strong expeditionary force with long-ranged air transport, therefore granting the Euros a force projection capability all over the South Atlantic and Antarctica.. 

The EDF naval buildup around Drakes Passage has everyone, especially the Americans, looking nervously in their direction as the Third South American Conflict is an inevitability at this point.  This situation escalated earlier this year when in January the EDF Navy operating in the region of Drake's Passage, arrested a Panamanian banner freighter, the Gaya Negra, sailing from Northern Nicaragua, carrying a number of chemical WMD containers destined to Africa. Whereas the cause itself was just, the event was publicised worldwide, and it became clear for everyne that there was a possibility of the EDF blocking this tight spot completely. The Americans were quick to protests against "European military presence in the Antarctican waters", calling the old UN treaty on demilitarisation of Antarctica as their backing.

 

(Written by Mike Van Atta.)