So, they're known to England as The Falkland Islands and to Argentina as the Islas Malvinas and they've been a topic of geographic argument and war between England and Argentina for years! It's kind of crazy! Why are two nations arguing over islands in the South Atlantic located about 300 miles east of Argentina about 752 miles from the northern tip of Antarctica? Today the Falklands are a British overseas territory. Controversy exists over the Falklands' "discovery" and colonization by Europeans. Britain asserted its rule in 1833, but Argentina maintains its claim to the islands. In April 1982, Argentine military forces invaded the islands, but in two months, England won the "Falklands War." Today almost all Falklanders favor the archipelago remaining a UK overseas territory. Its sovereignty status is part of an ongoing dispute between Argentina and the UK. The population of nearly 3,500 is mostly of British descent. Other ethnicities include French, Gibraltarian, and Scandinavian. The official language is English and since 1983, Falkland Islanders are British citizens. The islands lie on the boundary of the subantarctic oceanic and tundra climate zones. Oil exploration, licensed by the Falkland Islands Government, remains controversial as a result of maritime disputes with Argentina. To this day, people from Argentina refer to the islands as "The Malvinas."