1690 – English captain John Strong makes the first recorded landing on the islands; names the islands after Viscount Falkland.
1764 – France establishes their first permanent settlement at Port Louis.
1765 – Britain establishes a separate settlement at Port Egmont, unaware of the French settlement.
1767 – France cedes its settlement to Spain, which administers it as part of the Spanish Empire.
1770 – Spain expels the British from Port Egmont.
1771 – Britain returns after a diplomatic settlement between Britain and Spain.
1774 – Britain formally maintains its claim to sovereignty.
1811 – Spain withdraws during the Napoleonic Wars and Latin American independence movements.
1816 – The United Provinces of the Río de la Plata becomes the nation of Argentina; declares independence from Spain.
1820 – Argentina asserts authority over the Falkland Islands.
1829 – Argentina appoints Luis Vernet as a governor of the islands.
1831 –Vernet seizes US sealing vessels: the USS Lexington raids the settlement.
1833 – Britain re-establishes control, deports the Argentine authorities, and begins continuous British administration. Civilian settlers remain.
1840 – The Falkland Islands are constituted as a British Crown Colony.
1982 (2 April) – Argentina invades and occupies the Falkland Islands.
1982 (14 June) – British forces recapture the islands, ending the 74-day Falklands War.
1985 – A new Falkland Islands Constitution provides greater internal self-government while Britain retains responsibility for defence and foreign affairs.
2013 – A referendum is held; 99.8% of voters choose to remain a British Overseas Territory (BOT) w/turnout of over 90%.
Present – The islands remain a BOT, administered continuously by Britain (except for the 1982 occupation).