Paracel Islands

Introduction

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 all the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Woody Island with an airfield and artificial harbor. The islands also 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: ca. 7.75 sq km
land: ca. 7.75 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% (2011)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2011)
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: The islands have the potential for oil and gas development. Waters around the islands support commercial fishing, but the islands themselves are not populated on a permanent basis.

Airports: 1 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
Ports and terminals: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island

Disputes - international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This country information was last updated on January 01, 1970.