"do they actually pull their financial weight"
They make their money as follows:-
The Falkland Islands have a GDP of $105 million, and a per capita GDP of $35,400 (2002 estimate) placing the islands on a par with the United Kingdom (GDP per capita of $35,200 – 2009 estimate).
[2] The contributors to the GDP by sector (2010 forecast) are:
[8]
- Fisheries – 52.5%
- Government (including health and education) – 14.0%
- Communications, Finance and Business services – 11.4%
- Hospitality & Transport – 7.7%
- Construction – 6.6%
- Housing and other services – 3.2%
- Mining. Quarrying & Manufacturing – 2.1%
- Agriculture – 1.6%
- Utilities – 0.9%
In the 2009/10 financial year, the government revenue was £42.4 million of which £14.5 million came from fishery licences and services and £10.5 million from taxes. During the same period the government expenditure was £47.6 million.
they have a very healthy bank balance and they also make a contribution to defence costs
when the oil comes in it could be worth several billion in taxes