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Argentina claims sovereignty over the clutch of tiny islands 310 miles from its shores, which President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner contends have been illegally occupied by "colonial implants" since the 1830s. A 74-day war that Argentina lost to Britain over the islands in 1982 cost the lives of 255 British and 649 Argentine soldiers, sailors and airmen, as well as 3 civilians.

Both chambers of Argentina's Congress are expected to pass resolutions this week rejecting the result of the referendum, in which 1,672 people were eligible to vote.

Education Ministry documents say that Argentina inherited the islands when it won independence from Spain in 1816, while Falklanders say Britain has maintained a claim on the islands since the English sea captain John Davis charted them in 1592.

Britain granted the islanders the right to citizenship in 1983, although some 40 nationalities are represented in the territory.

The referendum, financed and organized by the Falklands Legislative Assembly, was intended to demonstrate the islanders' will to remain a part of Britain, according to Dick Sawle, an Assembly member.

 "Our job now is to get the message out to the rest of the world," he said.