Spratly Islands

§1. Spratly Islands Introduction

Background:
  The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They
  are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil
  deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam,
  while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45
  islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from
  China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has
  established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made
  any formal claim.

§2. Spratly Islands 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 kmē
  land: less than 5 kmē
  water: 0 kmē
  note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over
    an area of nearly 410,000 kmē of the central South China Sea

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% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  0 kmē (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard

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

§3. Spratly Islands People

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
    claimant states (2004)

§4. Spratly Islands Government

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

§5. 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. There are no
  reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet
  to be developed.

§6. Spratly Islands Transportation

Airports:
  3 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  none; offshore anchorage only

§7. Spratly Islands 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

§8. Spratly Islands 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 reef; claimants
  in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the
  South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of
  China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratly Islands


<Factbook 2006>
