system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What's the situation with the Falkland Islands?

What has historically happened on/about the islands? What are Argentina and Britain's claims to them, and why do they want them (i.e. do they have any value)? Who currently lives there and will the upcoming referendum have any effect?
gpt
The Falkland Islands, located off the east coast of Argentina, were initially uninhabited when they were first discovered 1600.  In the years that followed, the British, the French, the Spanish, and the Argentinians all tried to settle the island.  The British took control of the Island in 1833.  Since then, the Argentinians still claim the island as their own.

In the early 1980's, Argentina was controlled by military dictators, and the country was suffering from economic crisis and civil unrest.  When the new dictator came into power in 1981, he thought that annexing the Falklands would secure his position and distract the people from the country's problems; he didn't think the British would do anything about it.  However, when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982, the British did respond.  They sent a task force and re-took the islands.  This is still a sore spot for the Argentinians and the British.

In short, the British want to keep the Falkland Islands because the inhabitants are British citizens, and are of British decent.  To them, the Falkland Islands is no different than any of their islands in the English channel, the only difference being the large distance.  The Argentinians want the Falklands because the islands are right besides their territory.  To them, it's a bit embarrassing that they cannot rule land that is just a few miles away from them.  Beside that, there really isn't anything special about the islands.