This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

Legend: Definition Field Listing Rank Order

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.

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 coordinates:	16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references:	Southeast Asia
Area:	total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:	NA
Land boundaries:	0 km
Coastline:	518 km
Maritime claims:	NA
Climate:	tropical
Terrain:	mostly low and flat
Elevation extremes:	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources:	none
Land use:	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:	typhoons
Environment - current issues:	NA
Geography - note:	composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:

China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Ports and harbors:	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Airports:	1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military - note:

occupied by China

Disputes - international:

occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005