Spratly Islands source: CIA World Factbook 1998 |
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 a large
area of the central South China Sea
Areacomparative: 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
Environmentcurrent issues: NA
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographynote: 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
Data code: PG
Economyoverview: 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.
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 4 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Militarynote: about 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Disputesinternational: 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, which encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island
home | history | stats | embassies |