| Background: |
Rich fishing
grounds and the potential for gas and oil deposits have
caused this archipelago to be claimed in its entirety by
China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by
Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied
certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have
occurred between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces |
| 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 an area of nearly 410,000 sq
km of the central South China Sea |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by
personnel of several claimant states (July 2001 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
| 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. |
| Ports
and harbors: |
none; offshore
anchorage only |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
|
