The inhabitants of the Falkland Islands, 300 miles off the Argentine coast and which Buenos Aires calls "Las Malvinas", are due to take part in a referendum on March 10-11th to find if they want to remain British.

The vote comes as relations between Argentina and Britain worsen over the territory, where the two nations fought a 10-week war in 1982.

Argentina's ambassador to Britain said on Monday the referendum was a publicity stunt with no legal status.

Britain says the islanders have a right to self-determination, and insists they be present at any talks with Argentina over the future of the islands, but Buenos Aires says the matter should only be discussed by two sovereign states.

Argentina sees the Falklands' roughly 3,000 inhabitants as foreign implants and has compared them to Israeli settlers on land Palestinians want for a future state.

The referendum is widely expected to confirm the islanders' wish for the remote territory to remain under British control.

Argentina has ramped up its claims to the islands, where oil exploration firms are expected to produce their first oil in 2017, and last month Argentina's foreign minister visited London but did not meet his British counterpart.

Argentina, which claims ownership of the islands, invaded the Falklands on April 2, 1982, overthrowing the British administration, before a brief war with Britain forcing Argentina to surrender on June 14.

Three decades on, while the war is almost universally seen by Argentines as a mistake by a discredited military dictatorship, most believe the islands rightfully belong to Argentina.

Presented by Adam Justice