1982 5th April
Argentine Invasion of Falklands
British Government announces it will impose a 200-mile exclusion zone around the Islands on 26 April
Falklands War · permanent subject timeline
Falklands Maritime and Total Exclusion Zones
British exclusion zones around the islands. This page combines historical context with 18 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database Falklands War archive.
Historical context
Falklands Maritime and Total Exclusion Zones: overview and significance
What happened?
Britain declared maritime and later total exclusion zones around the Falkland Islands as the task force approached. These warnings defined areas in which Argentine naval and air assets could be treated as hostile.
Why was it important?
The exclusion zones were central to the legal, diplomatic and operational framing of the maritime campaign. They also formed part of the context for debates surrounding attacks at sea, particularly the sinking of ARA General Belgrano.
World History Database records
Falklands Maritime and Total Exclusion Zones timeline
The records below are selected from the 481-record Falklands War archive using this page's subject criteria and are ordered chronologically.
1982
1982 5th April
Exclusion Zone
British Government announces it will impose a 200-mile exclusion zone around the Islands on 26 April
1982 5th April
Exclusion Zone
Announces a 200-mile maritime exclusion zone.
1982 12th April
Declaration of Exclusion Zone
The maritime exclusion zone comes into operation
1982 12th April
Exclusion Zone
200 mile maritime exclusion zone around the Islands declared by Britain to prevent Argentine reinforcements and supplies reaching the Islands from the mainland
1982 19th April
Declaration of Exclusion Zone
The exclusion zone comes into force
1982 29th April
Mobilization
The task force arrives at the exclusion zone
1982 30th April
Exclusion Zone
Maritime exclusion zone is declared a total exclusion zone, applicable to all ships and aircraft supporting the Argentine occupation of the Islands
1982 30th April
Total Exclusion Zone
Extends restrictions to ships and aircraft supporting Argentina.
1982 2nd May
Naval Losses
The General Belgrano is sunk outside the Exclusion Zone demarcated by the British. After the loss of the Belgrano, the entire Argentine fleet returns to port and do not leave again for the duration of hostilities
1982 2nd May
Naval Losses
General Belgrano sunk 30 miles outside exclusion zone by submarine Conqueror on orders of War Cabinet who claim self-defence - 368 Argentines die
1982 2nd May
Sinking
The General Belgrano is sunk outside the Exclusion Zone demarcated by the British. Over 700 men are rescued from the open ocean despite cold seas and stormy weather, the 368 losses from the Belgrano total just over half of Argentine deaths in the Falklands conflict
1982 7th May
Declaration of Exclusion Zone
The exclusion zone is extended to 12 miles off the Argentine coast
1982 7th May
Exclusion Zone
Britain extends total exclusion zone to 12 miles off Argentine coast
1982 20th June
Exclusion Zone
200 mile exclusion zone established around the Islands during the war is replaced by a Falkland Islands Protection Zone of 150 miles
1982 20th June
Protection Zone
200 mile exclusion zone established around the Islands during the war is replaced by a Falkland Islands Protection Zone of 150 miles
1982 22nd July
Exclusion Zone
Britain lifts the Exclusion Zone around the Islands
1982 22nd July
Exclusion Zone Lifted
Lifts the exclusion zone around the islands.
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from the World History Database Falklands War records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Reference points: Imperial War Museums · National Army Museum · The National Archives
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