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Legend:
Definition
Field Listing
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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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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
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 38 N, 111 55 E
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia
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Area:
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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
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Area - comparative:
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NA
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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926 km
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Maritime claims:
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NA
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Climate:
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tropical
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Terrain:
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flat
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
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Natural resources:
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fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
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Land use:
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arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
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Environment - current issues:
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NA
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Geography - note:
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strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly Islands
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Economy - overview:
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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.
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Military - note:
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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
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Disputes - international:
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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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This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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