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CIA Facts on the Paracel Islands
Background:
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Area:
total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
NA
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
518 km
Maritime claims:
NA
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
mostly low and flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
Government
Paracel Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Economy
Paracel Islands
Economy - overview:
China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Military
Paracel Islands
Military - note:
occupied by China
Transnational Issues
Paracel Islands
Disputes - international:
occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pf.html
CIA Facts on the Spratly Islands
Background:
The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.
Location:
Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
8 38 N, 111 55 E
Area:
total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
Area - comparative:
NA
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
926 km
Maritime claims:
NA
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Natural resources:
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use:
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only
Military - note:
Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Disputes - international:
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pg.html
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