| Coat of arms of the Falkland Islands | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adopted | 29 September 1948 |
| Shield | Per fess azure and barry wavy argent and azure, in chief a ram proper upon a grassy mount issuant from the division vert, and in base a galley proper, its mainsail charged with five estoiles[1][2] |
| Motto | Desire the Right |
Thecoat of arms of the Falkland Islands is theheraldic device consisting of ashieldcharged with aram ontussock grass in a bluefield at the top and asailing ship on white and blue wavy lines underneath. Adopted in 1948, it has been the coat of arms of theFalkland Islands since 29 September of that year, except for the two-monthoccupation of the territory during theFalklands War in 1982. The escutcheon is featured on theflag of the territory. The ram represents the territory's past primary industry ofsheep farming, while the ship symbolises theDesire which reportedly first sighted the islands at the end of the 16th century. The grass indicates the vegetation of the Falklands.
TheFalkland Islands were reportedly first spotted by the English navigatorJohn Davis on 14 August 1592.[3][4] The earliest conclusive sighting of the islands was done bySebald de Weert around eight years later.[3] This was followed by the first documented landing in 1690 byJohn Strong,[5] who named thesound dividing the two largest islands afterAnthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland. The name was subsequently extended to the islands themselves.[3] Sovereignty over the Falklands changed hands between the British and the Spanish throughout the 18th century. TheUnited Provinces of South America asserted its sovereignty over the islands in 1820, four years after the United Provincesdeclared its independence from Spain. However, the Britishsent a military force to the Falklands in early 1833 to expel Argentine officials there and proceeded to appoint the territory's firstgovernor eight years later.[3][5]
The Falklands were placed on theUnited Nations list of non-self-governing territories in 1946.[6] Two years later, aRoyal Warrant was issued on 29 September granting the territory its own coat of arms.[7] It was consequently employed on theBlue Ensign to create theflag of the territory that same year after authorisation was granted by theAdmiralty.[8] These symbols were briefly displaced during theArgentine occupation of the islands from April 1982 until the end of theFalklands War a little over two months later.[9] The flag was redesigned in 1999, with the size of the coat of arms increased, and the white disc removed and replaced with a white outline.[10][11]
| The Falkland Islands | ||
| Emblem | Period of use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
.svg) | 1876–1925 | In 1876 the islands were granted aseal consisting of an image ofHMSHebe (which brought many of the early British settlers to the islands, includingRichard Moody, in the 1840s) inFalkland Sound, overlooked by abullock (representing wildcattle which once roamed the islands).[12] |
.svg) | 1925–1948 | A new coat of arms for the islands was introduced on 16 October 1925, consisting of theDesiresinister and asea liondexter in a shield (per bend or and azure) with themotto of the islandsDESIRE THE RIGHT on a plaited strap as aslogan.[13] Currently used by theFalkland Islands Defence Force as a badge. |
The colours and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The ship from theTudor period represents theDesire, the vessel in which John Davis is reputed to have sighted the Falkland Islands in 1592.[10][11] Theram epitomisessheep farming, which was historically the principal industry of the islands,[10][14] together with the production ofwool.[15] The importance of these industries declined after the establishment of a 240 km (150 mi) fisheries zone around the territory,[15][16] which was announced in October 1986 and took effect in February of the following year.[17][18] Thetussock grass that the ram is standing on evokes the native vegetation of the Falklands.[10] The motto on a ribbon scroll under the escutcheon,Desire the Right, alludes to the name of the aforementioned ship.[10][14]
Both the shield and motto from the arms are featured on theflag of the Falkland Islands,[19] and on the standard of the territory's governor.[20]
A Coat of Arms was granted to the Falkland Islands on 29 September 1948. In chief of the shield is a ram on a green mound of tussac grass, and in base is a heraldic ship representing the Desire on a sea of blue and white wavy lines.
InGovernment House the British flag had been folded away and the portrait of the Queen removed.
