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Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

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Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#21
post #17

"...(the only access to the islands) is to have a pre-arranged job contract with a company that has signed a form of bond taking responsibility for you" That sounds like all British immigration rules. My employer had to apply for my visa and had to pay all my healthcare contributions for a year up front before I could move for a job in London. If I lose my job I have a few weeks to find a new employer (who will have…

Is it bizarre? Sounds like similar rules to anywhere - no country wants to let in people who can't support themselves.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, Croatia is already turning into a country-sized tourist trap. It is really a shame considering how beautiful the area is.

It was turning into tourist trap 20 years ago, the last time I visited. I think places like Italy or Greece offer more for same money (or even less). For balkan experience, Montenegro is a fine less spoiled option (depends on location obviously).

If it's the cheap prices you're after, Albania is the answer. More specifically, anything south of Tirana.

Communicating with locals over 30 is a bit challenging unless you know Albanian or Italian (I know, I was surprised too), but it's worth it for the pretty, not overcrowded beaches.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#23
post #4
post #2

I would say that there are places that are like the Falkland Island in Croatia.

As another Croatian, I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I'd like other people to experience the breathtaking beauty of my country. On the other hand, considering all the negative externalities and the rampant devastation that comes with our brand of tourism I'm not sure I want any more tourists coming. I especially don't want tourists buying holiday homes here.

I first discovered Croatia when it was called Yugoslavia. Yes, it's an extremely beautiful country. But the area also has systemic problems that to me seems to be political in nature. Well, perhaps not all. Some of it is also simply economic. For good or bad, that leads to cheap prices on everything, which is the real reason so many people come, despite its charm. I'm sure that can be alleviated with with and good leadership, however. And where there's income, it's also worth investing in infrastructure.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#24

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

There's no great conspiracy here.

The vast majority of people in Taiwan do not want to be a part of the PRC. The vast majority of people in the Falklands want to remain a British Overseas Territory.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#25

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

So basically like how the US annexed Hawaï?

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a closer analog to the Falklands is the European colonial powers and much of the Caribbean. The French and St. Martin/St. Barts, the Dutch and Sint Maarten/Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao - and of course the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, the BVI, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos. The latter has interestingly tried to join Canada a few times. Not really located anywhere strategic.

I agree in principle, though some of these islands want to stay with France / the EU, in contrary to the Falklands it is the native people there that want to stay, not the (only) the colonialists.

Sounds a bit like Wallis and Futuna - the French have been open to, or even supportive of decolonization for decades now, but the Wallisians have no interest in leaving France [1] - perhaps they learned from the divergent stories of La Reunion and Mayotte as compared to the Comoro Islands? I believe La Reunion has the highest GDP per capita in all of Africa (confirmed, 27000USD, which is way, way higher than the nearest continental neighbor). The EU even paid to put up a giant ring highway around the island. [2] No such luck for residents of Grande Comore, who are among the poorest on the continent - $1400USD - among the poorest on earth.

It's interesting, such far-flung territories with limited resources, limited space and limited connections seem to be positioned to benefit the most from the largesse of a parent nation. Especially with European powers eager to distance themselves from their colonial past and ready to give their dependent territories maximum latitutde.

[1] https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/wallis-futuna/articles/fr...

[2] https://www.vinci-construction-projets.com/en/realisations/n...

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#27
post #17

"...(the only access to the islands) is to have a pre-arranged job contract with a company that has signed a form of bond taking responsibility for you" That sounds like all British immigration rules. My employer had to apply for my visa and had to pay all my healthcare contributions for a year up front before I could move for a job in London. If I lose my job I have a few weeks to find a new employer (who will have…

I felt like the detail that mattered there was that it is the only way to get through the British military air base at Mount Pleasant (the only access to the islands).

If you don't have to pass through a military base to get somewhere, there is a bit of wiggle room. You are supposed to do X, Y or Z but there end up being some exceptions.

In this case, the military base has a stranglehold on entry so you aren't likely to see folks bending the rules a tad.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#28
post #4
post #2

I would say that there are places that are like the Falkland Island in Croatia.

As another Croatian, I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I'd like other people to experience the breathtaking beauty of my country. On the other hand, considering all the negative externalities and the rampant devastation that comes with our brand of tourism I'm not sure I want any more tourists coming. I especially don't want tourists buying holiday homes here.

I think the whole Med has become like this. Travel is so mainstream nowadays (at least before covid), same with people buying properties in foreign countries.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#29

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

Did you read the article? These are not “troops” being sent there from the UK to bolster support, they’re a collection of random nationalities (some Argentine) who migrated there for their own various reasons.

Re: Why do so many people move to the Falkland Islands? (2009)

#30

If your occupied territory is far from the main seat of your remnant empire, you MUST send in as many troops as possible in the short term and then as many immigrants as possible in the long term, to consolidate your overseas hold by means of demographic claim. There is no great mystery here. What is interesting is how this behaviour from the Western nations is tacitly ignored but somehow China asserting its claim ov…

How can islands with no native population, which have never been ruled by Argentina, possibly be ‘occupied territory’? Argentina’s claim is basically that they are heir to the Spanish empire, despite the wishes of 99% of the residents.
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