The Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic

Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency features a Copernicus Sentinel-1 view of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Located just over 300 miles from the tip of South America, the Falklands are made up of two main islands and hundreds of other smaller islands and islets.

The Falkland Islands have diverse landscapes including mountain ranges, flat plains, rugged coastline, and cliffs. The islands  are covered with grasslands, which are widely used for raising cattle and sheep. The region also provides important habitats for five species of penguins and hundreds of bird species. Although Fuegians from Patagonia may have visited the Falkland Islands in prehistoric times, the islands were uninhabited when Europeans first discovered them. As seen above The Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic have a wide range and spread out terrain.

Claims of discovery date back to the 16th century, but no consensus exists on whether early explorers discovered the Falklands or other islands in the South Atlantic. The first undisputed landing on the islands is attributed to English captain John Strong, who, en route to peru and Chile’s littoral in 1690, discovered the Falkland Sound and noted the islands’ water and game

—

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: ESA