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Spratly Islands | |
| Introduction Geography People Government Economy Transportation Military Transnational Issues | ||
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| Spratly Islands | Introduction | Top of Page |
| Background: | Rich fishing grounds and the potential for gas and oil deposits have caused this archipelago to be claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have occurred between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces |
| Spratly Islands | Geography | Top of Page |
| 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 |
| Map references: | Southeast Asia |
| 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% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
| Irrigated land: | 0 sq km (1993) |
| Natural hazards: | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals |
| 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 |
| Spratly Islands | People | Top of Page |
| Population: |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2001 est.) |
| Spratly Islands | Government | Top of Page |
| Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
| Spratly Islands | Economy | Top of Page |
| 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, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. |
| Spratly Islands | Transportation | Top of Page |
| Waterways: | none |
| Ports and harbors: | none; offshore anchorage only |
| Airports: | 4 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total:
3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Spratly Islands | Military | Top of Page |
| 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 |
| Spratly Islands | Transnational Issues | Top of Page |
| 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 island; in 2000, China joined ASEAN discussions towards creating a South China Sea "code of conduct" - a non-legally binding confidence building measure |