Life in Stanley

Stanley is the only big settlement in the Falklands with a population of around 2,000. The remaining 1,000 or so people who live in the Falklands are either at the military base about 35 miles away or in isolated settlements on the the many islands that make up the Falklands.

The are over 700 islands here, mostly uninhabited. The 2 big islands are East and West Falkland. Virtually everybody is on East Falkland. There are only 70 people living on the whole of West Falkland. Everything outside Stanley is called "camp".

There are plenty of pubs in Stanley, usually quite busy when the military are visiting either from the base or from visiting ships.

The food shops are well stocked, with produce from England and there are a few restaurants and take-aways. There are clothes & electrical shops here, you can usually get hold of anything you normally get on the mainland.

There is very little crime, what there is is either drink related or driving related. There is very little trouble between the military & locals. Even though it is 20 years ago, the locals have far too much respect for the military to cause trouble. The military also know that while they can fight amongst themselves, if they hit a civilian they are in serious trouble.

There is cable TV, but it is Spanish based rather than the SKY we are used to. There are no mobile phones yet, but they are supposed to start very soon.

There is very little natural wood in the Falklands, and the local stone is un-workable. The majority of the houses are pre-fabricated and imported into the islands. There are very few stone or brick properties on the islands. The houses tend to be painted in very bright colors, especially the roofs.

The is no public transport, but it is reasonably easy to walk anywhere in Stanley. There is a flat fee of £2 for any taxi journey within Stanley.

For a town this size the schools & hospital are excellent. The hospital is better equiped than some I have worked in. Every pupil has the chance to study in the UK after 5th form, either vocational or 'A' level at a college in Chichester. The flights, board & fees are all paid for on top of a small bursary. After growing up in the Falklands most of the islanders are suprised by the pace of life in Chichester.

Most people have a 4 wheel drive vehicle of some sort. There are limited paved roads on the islands. Some places have hard gravel tracks which can be fun to drive along, but lethal to cycle along if the cars get too close to the cyclists. For a lot of places you have to go off-road, and it does help to know where you are going. If you get stuck you are unlikely to be found quickly.