The capital of the Falkland Islands is Port Stanley, officially known simply as Stanley. The town sits on the northeastern coast of East Falkland and is the territory’s main administrative center and port.
Construction of the settlement began in 1843, and Stanley became the capital in July 1845. It was named after Edward Smith-Stanley, the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The harbor’s location made it valuable to ships traveling around Cape Horn and through the Strait of Magellan, particularly before the Panama Canal opened in 1914.
The town became internationally prominent during the 1982 Falklands War, when Argentina invaded the islands and the United Kingdom sent a task force to retake them. British forces regained control of Stanley in June 1982, and the town served as the focal point of the conflict on the islands.
“Stanley” is the official name, while “Port Stanley” remains a widely used English name, especially in historical and military writing. The older capital, Port Louis, had been replaced by Stanley in the 19th century.