Spratly Islands

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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.

Table of contents
	spratly islands Travel Guide : 1 Geography 2 People 3 Government 4 Economy 5 Transportation 6 Military 7 Transnational Issues

Geography

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
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

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%
other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

0 sq km (1998 est.)

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

People

Population 

no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.)

Government

Country name 

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy

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.

Transportation

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

none; offshore anchorage only

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)

Military

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

Transnational Issues

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

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