Swan Islands, Falkland Islands

Coordinates: 51°47′33″S 59°35′03″W / 51.79250°S 59.58417°W

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Swan Islands Islas de Cisne
Island
Location of the Swan Islands within the Falkland Islands
Coordinates: 51°47′33″S 59°35′03″W / 51.79250°S 59.58417°W / -51.79250; -59.58417
Country	Falkland Islands
Island group	Falkland Sound
Time zone	UTC−3 (FKST)
If shown, area and population ranks are for all islands and all inhabited islands in the Falklands respectively.

The Swan Islands (Spanish: Islas del Cisne) are a small group of islands in the middle of Falkland Sound in the Falkland Islands, and comprising Swan Island and the smaller West Swan Island and North Swan Island.

Geography and wildlife

The islands are low-lying, and mainly covered in tussac grass, with the birdlife common to most of the Falkland Islands.

The islands lie between West Falkland and Lafonia on East Falkland, the two largest islands of the archipelago, and which shelter them from rougher weather from the east and west.

History

Admiral George Grey, surveying the Falkland Islands in 1836, says in his journal entry of 21 December -

"The Swan Islands are low and covered in tussock excepting the centre of the largest one where there is some clear ground with a sort of clear water lake in it where one of the Midshipmen killed a wild swan; we had been told that there were a number of wild pigs on this island, but I did not succeed in killing any, although I landed 50 men to beat the island."

It is perhaps from this swan that the islands derive their name.

References

Southby-Tailyour, Ewen - Falkland Island Shores
Swan Island. GeoNames
West Swan Island. GeoNames
North Swan Island. GeoNames

Falkland Islands

Capital: Port Stanley

Society

Education Falkland Islands Community School Falkland Islanders Origins Falklands Conservation Human rights LGBT Languages Falkland Islands English Law Enforcement Telecommunications Internet domain Transport Falkland Islands Government Air Service Mount Pleasant Airport Port Stanley Airport
Culture	Coat of arms Flag Motto Religion Anglican parish Christ Church Cathedral Roman Catholicism Scouting and Guiding
Sport	Commonwealth Games Cricket team Football team Rifle Association Rugby union

(*) Sixth-formers attend Peter Symonds College in England, and national diploma / NVQ students attend Chichester College in England

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