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MalvinasFacts

Historical Timeline

Key events in the history of the dispute, from the 1833 British occupation to the present. Each entry is sourced.

  1. January 3, 1833 · Occupation & Settlement

    HMS Clio Arrives at Puerto Soledad (Port Louis); Argentine Garrison Required to Leave

    The British ship HMS Clio arrived at Puerto Soledad (Port Louis) and required the Argentine garrison and the acting governor, appointed by Buenos Aires, to leave. Most Argentine officials and settlers departed within days, though some remained under the new British administration. Argentina regards this as the forcible interruption of a sovereignty it had exercised since 1820; the United Kingdom regards it as the reassertion of a claim it had first made in the eighteenth century.

    1. [1] UN Secretariat, Working paper for the Special Committee on Decolonization, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), A/AC.109/2026/6 (31 March 2026; UK account of the restoration of administration at para. 55, Argentina's account at para. 62) PDF Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: HMS Clio Arrives at Puerto Soledad (Port Louis); Argentine Garrison Required to Leave (January 3, 1833)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1833-01-03.

  2. May 15, 1850 · Diplomacy

    Convention of Settlement (Arana-Southern Treaty) Ratified

    Argentina and Britain ratified the Convention of Settlement, restoring bilateral relations after the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata. The treaty did not mention the islands. Its significance for the sovereignty dispute remains contested: the United Kingdom has cited it as evidence Argentina tacitly dropped the claim by resuming normal relations without reservation, while Argentina maintains the treaty addressed unrelated matters (the blockade and river navigation) and was silent on sovereignty.

    1. [1] 1850 Convention of Settlement (full text) Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Convention of Settlement (Arana-Southern Treaty) Ratified (May 15, 1850)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1850-05-15.

  3. December 16, 1965 · UN Resolution

    UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution 2065 (XX)

    The General Assembly recognized the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom and invited both governments to negotiate a peaceful solution. See the UN Resolutions Glossary for the full summary and vote.

    1. [1] UN General Assembly Resolution 2065 (XX) Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution 2065 (XX) (December 16, 1965)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1965-12-16.

  4. April 2, 1982 · Armed Conflict

    Argentina Occupies the Islands

    Argentine forces landed and took control of Stanley (Puerto Argentino), beginning a 74-day armed conflict with the United Kingdom.

    1. [1] UN Security Council Resolution 502 (1982) · April 3, 1982 PDF Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Argentina Occupies the Islands (April 2, 1982)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1982-04-02.

  5. April 3, 1982 · UN Resolution

    UN Security Council Adopts Resolution 502

    The Security Council demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities and the immediate withdrawal of Argentine forces from the islands. It was adopted by 10 votes to 1 (Panama), with 4 abstentions (China, Poland, Spain, and the Soviet Union).

    1. [1] UN Security Council Resolution 502 (1982) Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: UN Security Council Adopts Resolution 502 (April 3, 1982)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1982-04-03.

  6. June 14, 1982 · Armed Conflict

    Argentine Forces Surrender at Stanley

    Argentine forces surrendered to British troops, ending the armed conflict. Diplomatic relations between the two countries, already severed, remained broken for nearly eight more years.

    1. [1] UK House of Commons, Statement on the Falkland Islands (Hansard, HC Deb 15 June 1982, vol 25, cc731-41) Archived copy
    2. [2] Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP), "Cronología de la Guerra en las Islas Malvinas" (chronology compiled from its own war veterans' accounts; p. 113 records Gen. Menéndez agreeing at 13:00 to meet the British commander at 16:00 to set the terms for ending the battle and coordinate the withdrawal of Argentine personnel) Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Argentine Forces Surrender at Stanley (June 14, 1982)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1982-06-14.

  7. October 19, 1989 · Diplomacy

    "Sovereignty Umbrella" Formula Agreed at Madrid

    In the first Madrid Joint Statement, Argentina and the United Kingdom agreed to set aside their respective sovereignty claims over the islands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands for the purpose of normalizing relations — a formula (the "sovereignty umbrella") that has governed subsequent bilateral agreements ever since.

    1. [1] UN Peacemaker, Joint Statement Re-Establishing Diplomatic Relations between Britain and Argentina Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: "Sovereignty Umbrella" Formula Agreed at Madrid (October 19, 1989)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1989-10-19.

  8. February 15, 1990 · Diplomacy

    UK-Argentina Diplomatic Relations Restored

    The second Madrid Joint Statement re-established full diplomatic relations between the two countries, broken since the 1982 conflict, lifted the 150-mile maritime protection zone around the islands, and introduced military confidence-building measures in the South Atlantic.

    1. [1] UN Peacemaker, Joint Statement Re-Establishing Diplomatic Relations between Britain and Argentina Archived copy
    2. [2] MercoPress, "On 16 February 1990, the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between UK and Argentina was announced" Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: UK-Argentina Diplomatic Relations Restored (February 15, 1990)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1990-02-15.

  9. September 27, 1995 · Diplomacy

    Joint Declaration on Offshore Hydrocarbons Cooperation

    Argentina and the United Kingdom signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation over Offshore Activities in the South West Atlantic, establishing a joint commission intended to coordinate hydrocarbon exploration in the area under the sovereignty umbrella formula.

    1. [1] Joint Declaration on Cooperation over Offshore Activities in the South West Atlantic (full text) Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Joint Declaration on Offshore Hydrocarbons Cooperation (September 27, 1995)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-1995-09-27.

  10. March 27, 2007 · Diplomacy

    Argentina Withdraws from the 1995 Hydrocarbons Declaration

    Argentina notified the United Kingdom that it was ending the 1995 cooperation framework, citing what it called the UK's persistent unilateral licensing of oil exploration around the islands outside the joint mechanism the declaration had established.

    1. [1] Al Jazeera, "Argentina ends Falklands oil deal" Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Argentina Withdraws from the 1995 Hydrocarbons Declaration (March 27, 2007)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-2007-03-27.

  11. March 11, 2013 · Domestic Law

    Falkland Islands Sovereignty Referendum

    In a referendum organized by the Falkland Islands government, 99.8% of islanders voted to remain a UK overseas territory, on a 92% turnout (1,513 votes in favour, 3 against). The United Kingdom presents the result as clear evidence of the population's wishes; Argentina does not dispute the result but rejects its legal relevance, arguing the population is not entitled to exercise self-determination over the territory (see the companion article on the "implanted population" argument).

    1. [1] UK Government, "Falkland Islands vote to remain British Overseas Territory" Archived copy
    2. [2] UN Secretariat, Working paper for the Special Committee on Decolonization, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), A/AC.109/2026/6 (31 March 2026; UK account of the referendum turnout/result at para. 51, Argentina's rejection of the "so-called referendum" at para. 64) PDF Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Falkland Islands Sovereignty Referendum (March 11, 2013)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-2013-03-11.

  12. September 13, 2016 · Diplomacy

    Foradori-Duncan Joint Communiqué

    Argentina's deputy foreign minister Carlos Foradori and the UK's Alan Duncan signed a joint communiqué agreeing to remove obstacles to trade, fishing, and hydrocarbons activity related to the islands, in exchange for closer bilateral cooperation on matters such as flights and Antarctic science. It made no reference to the sovereignty dispute, drawing domestic criticism in Argentina.

    1. [1] UK Government, "UK and Argentina joint communiqué: 13 September 2016" Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Foradori-Duncan Joint Communiqué (September 13, 2016)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-2016-09-13.

  13. March 2, 2023 · Diplomacy

    Argentina Terminates the Foradori-Duncan Communiqué

    Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero notified UK counterpart James Cleverly, at a G20 foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi, that Argentina was ending the 2016 communiqué, saying it had not delivered reciprocal benefits for Argentina.

    1. [1] MercoPress, "Argentina withdraws from Foradori-Duncan Treaty" Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Argentina Terminates the Foradori-Duncan Communiqué (March 2, 2023)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-2023-03-02.

  14. September 24, 2024 · Diplomacy

    Mondino-Lammy Joint Statement Renews Cooperation

    Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy met in New York and agreed to resume weekly flights between the islands and mainland Argentina (via São Paulo, with a monthly Córdoba stopover), continue the Humanitarian Project Plan with the ICRC, and cooperate on fisheries management — again under the 1989 sovereignty umbrella formula. The agreement drew an impeachment request against Mondino from opposition lawmakers in Argentina.

    1. [1] MercoPress, "Falklands support of new cooperation agreement between UK and Argentina" Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: Mondino-Lammy Joint Statement Renews Cooperation (September 24, 2024)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-2024-09-24.

  15. June 25, 2026 · UN Resolution

    C24 Reiterates Call for Negotiations

    The UN Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) adopted, by consensus, its latest annual decision calling on Argentina and the United Kingdom to resume negotiations toward a peaceful solution. See the UN Resolutions Glossary for details.

    1. [1] Buenos Aires Herald, "UN urges Argentina and UK to resume Malvinas sovereignty talks" Archived copy

    MalvinasFacts. "Timeline: C24 Reiterates Call for Negotiations (June 25, 2026)." 2026. https://malvinasfacts.com/timeline#event-2026-06-25.