Government House: The Falkland Islands are an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, executive authority resting with Her Majesty the Queen and exercised on her behalf by the Governor. In practice, the Falkland Islanders have a great deal of democratic autonomy.

Sheep farming replaced sealing and whaling as the mainstay of the Falkland Islands economy early in the history of the Islands' settlement and remains by far the most significant occupation for the rural community. Over 600,000 sheep are reared, almost exclusively for their wool, producing almost three million kilos a year. The Falkland Islands Government has invested heavily to help improve the wool's quality.

The establishment in 1987 of a fishery zone around the Falkland Islands has improved the economy greatly. The sale of licences to boats fishing within the zone now generates the greatest part of the Islands' revenue, Illex squid being the primary maritime crop.

Philately has historically contributed to the Falkland Islands Government's revenue and continues to do so. The Philatelic Bureau produces attractive and collectable series of stamps for the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and the British Antarctic Territory, and provides a mail order service to overseas customers.

The Upland Goose Hotel: The opening of Mount Pleasant International Airport , built after the 1982 Falklands War, has opened the Islands to tourism. Two hotels in Stanley and several lodges in Camp provide accommodation for visitors who come to discover the Islanders' way of life, to see the remarkable diversity of wildlife, to fish for sea trout, to study maritime history through the numerous wrecks around the Islands' shores, and to tour the battlefields of the 1982 War.

Hydroponic and dairy farms provide vegetables and dairy products for residents, for the military garrison and for fishing boats, and the Falkland Islands Development Corporation is encouraging and supporting the development of alternative power sources to reduce the Islands' dependence on imported fossil fuels. An EU standard abattoir is being built in Stanley.

Falkland Islanders and the Falkland Islands Government place great importance on education as investment in the Islands' future. Schooling is free and compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 years. The Government provides primary and secondary education in Stanley and operates three small settlement schools on large farms.

Young Falkland Islanders have won The Times Educational Supplement Newsday international prize three times.

The Falkland Islands Government Air Services operates an on-call services from Stanley Airport to some 40 grass and beach airstrips serving almost every settlement in the Islands.

There are three major, week-long sports meetings each summer - one in Stanley and one each on East and West Falkland. They are well attended and generally include horse racing, sheep shearing, sheep dog trials and steer riding.