paracel islands

Paracel Islands

Introduction

   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.

Geography

     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  16 30 N, 112 00 E
  coordinates:

           Map  Southeast Asia
   references:

         Area:  total: NA sq km
                land: NA sq km
                water: 0 sq km

        Area -  NA
  comparative:

          Land  0 km
   boundaries:

    Coastline:  518 km

      Maritime  NA
       claims:

      Climate:  tropical

      Terrain:  mostly low and flat

     Elevation  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
     extremes:  highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

       Natural  none
    resources:

     Land use:  arable land: 0%
                permanent crops: 0%
                other: 100% (2005)

     Irrigated  0 sq km
         land:

       Natural  typhoons
      hazards:

 Environment -  NA
       current
       issues:

   Geography -  composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided
         note:  into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western
                Crescent Group

People

   Population:  no indigenous inhabitants
                note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Government

 Country name:  conventional long form: none
                conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy

     Economy -  China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for
     overview:  tourism.


Transportation

     Airports:  1 (2006)

    Airports -  total: 1
    with paved  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
      runways:

     Ports and  small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
    terminals:  Duncan Island being expanded

Military

    Military -  occupied by China
         note:

Transnational
Issues

    Disputes -  occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
international: