Chileans in the Falkland Islands
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 181 (6.2%) | |
| Languages | |
|
Spanish (Chilean Spanish) English (Falkland Islands English) |
|
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Roman Catholic | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Chilean people • Falkland Islanders • British Chilean • Chileans in the United Kingdom |
Chileans in the Falkland Islands are people of Chilean ancestry or nationality who live in the Falkland Islands. The Chilean community on the Falklands are the biggest population from mainland South America and also the biggest non-British group representing over 6% of the total population according to the 2012 census, although the true number may be higher as many islanders of Chilean origin listed their national identity as 'Falkland Islander' and Chileans working on the islands temporally were not counted in the census.
A Chilean consulate was established on the Falklands in the 1870s and remained well into the 20th century. The first Chileans to arrive on the Falklands in large numbers came in the late 1970s, mainly from Punta Arenas and other parts of the Magallanes Region, with 28 permanent Chilean residents listed in the 1980 census. Following the Falklands War in 1982, Argentine nationals were banned from visiting the Falklands until the 1990s, which led to many Chileans (whose government had supported the UK during the war) moving to the Falklands to take up jobs previously held by Argentines. The permanent Chilean population remained fairly stable until the start of the 21st century when Chileans remaining on the islands for longer than 6 years rose to over 100. According to the 2012 census, there were 161 Chilean residents (82 women and 79 men) in Stanley and Camp, representing more than 10% of the civilian population, with an addition 20 Chileans listed as working at RAF Mount Pleasant, bringing the total number to 181 (6.2% of the total population).
The 2006 census indicated that about 157 Islanders had Chilean ancestry, nine were British Chilean, ten were of Falkland Islands-Chilean ancestry, there was one of Brazilian Chilean ancestry and another was Spanish Chilean.
...
Wikipedia