Spratly Islands

Spratly Islands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about islands in the South China Sea. For people called Spratly, see (surname
Spratly Islands

Disputed islands

/

Spratly Islands

Geography

Location
China

Coordinates
/°N 114°: /°N 114°

Total islands
over 750

Major islands
Aba Cowe York

Area
less than 5 square kilometres (1.9 sq mi)

Coastline
926 kilometres (575 mi)

Highest point
on 4 metres (13 ft)

Administered by



Claimed by

/ 


Brunei zone

/ 




/ 




/ Republic of


Office for Xisha Islands, Zhongsha Islands and Nansha

/ of China (Taiwan




/ 




Demographics

Population
no indigenous population

Ethnic groups
various

Spratly Islands

Chinese name


南沙群島




[]Transcriptions



Filipino name


Kapuluan ng Kalayaan

Malay name


Kepulauan Spratly

Vietnamese name


Quần Đảo Trường Sa


群島長沙

The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 750 1, , and in the China . The lies off the coasts of the and (), about one third of the way from there to southern . They comprise less than four square kilometers of land area spread over more than 425,000 square kilometers of sea. The Spratlys are one of three archipelagos of the South China Sea which comprise more than 30,000 islands and reefs and which complicate governance and economics in that region of Southeast Asia. Such small and remote islands have little economic value in themselves, but are important in establishing international boundaries. There are no native islanders but there are rich fishing grounds and initial surveys indicate the islands may contain significant reserves of oil and natural gas.
About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from , the Republic of , the of China (Taiwanand the . has also claimed an in the southeastern part of the Spratlys encompassing just one area of small islands above mean high water (on Louisa Reef.)
Contents
 [] 
Geographic and economic

.1 Coral
.2
.3
.4 Ecological

.1 Early
.2 Military conflict and diplomatic
.3

See

Further
External

[] Geographic and economic overview
/
/
picture of a in the Spratly group.
Coordinates: /°N 114°
Area (land based): less than 5 km² - includes 148 or so islets, , and .
(sea surface): 410,000 km² of the central South China Sea
Coastline: 926 km
Political divisions: (in alphabetic order of claimants)
Brunei: Part of Brunei`s Economic 2
People`s Republic of China: Part of province;
Malaysia: Part of the state of ;
Philippines: Part of province;
Republic of China (Taiwan): Part of municipality;
Vietnam: Part of Province.
Climate: tropical
Terrain: flat
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea (0 m)
highest point: unnamed location on (4 m)
Natural hazards: serious maritime hazards because of numerous banks, reefs and shoals
The islands are most likely volcanic in origin3The islands themselves contain almost no significant and have no indigenous inhabitants, although twenty of the islands, including Itu Aba, the largest, are considered to be able to sustain human life. Natural resources include , , undetermined and potential. activity includes commercial , , and . The proximity to nearby - and -producing 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 of has yet to be developed. The Spratly Islands have at least three fishing ports, several docks and harbors, at least three heliports, at least four territorial rigging style outposts (especially due west of 4and six to eight .These islands are strategically located near