SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ ECONOMY(1 fields)
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.
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 fields)
Area
total: less than 5 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 water: 0 sq km land: less than 5 sq km
Area - comparative
NA
Climate
tropical
Coastline
926 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
8 38 N, 111 55 E
Geography - note
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
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
Map references
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
NA
Natural hazards
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Natural resources
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Terrain
flat
◆ GOVERNMENT(1 fields)
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
This archipelago - surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits - is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties occupy certain islands or reefs.
◆ MILITARY(1 fields)
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
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
Population
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(1 fields)
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
◆ TRANSPORTATION(5 fields)
Airports
4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Ports and harbors
none; offshore anchorage only
Waterways
none