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Spratly Islands Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of
the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total area: NA sq km but less than 5 km2
land area: less than 5 sq km
comparative area: NA
note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South
China Sea
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 926 km
Maritime claims: NA
International disputes: 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 economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed
the island
Climate: tropical
Terrain: flat
Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
international agreements: NA
Note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China
Sea;
includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered garrisons
Government
Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Digraph: PG
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.
Industries: none
Transportation
Ports: none
Airports:
total: 4
with paved runways under 914 m: 3
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
Communications
Telephone system:
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: NA
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: NA
televisions: NA
Defense Forces
Note: about 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Taiwan, and Vietnam
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs 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 area: NA sq km but less than 5 sq km
land area: less than 5 sq km
comparative area: NA
note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South
China Sea
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 926 km
Maritime claims: NA
International disputes: 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
economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island
Climate: tropical
Terrain: flat
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%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central
South
China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
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Geography S