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 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
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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. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates: |
8 38 N, 111
55 E |
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Map references: |
Southeast
Asia |
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Area: |
total:
less than 5 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km
water: 0 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 |
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Area - comparative: |
NA |
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Land boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline: |
926 km
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Maritime claims: |
NA |
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Climate: |
tropical
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Terrain: |
flat |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest
point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed
location on Southwest Cay 4 m |
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Natural resources: |
fish, guano,
undetermined oil and natural gas potential |
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Land use: |
arable
land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100%
(2001) |
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Irrigated land: |
0 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards: |
typhoons;
serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals |
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Environment - current issues: |
NA |
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Geography - note: |
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the
central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,
shoals, and coral reefs Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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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"
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Large portions of this information is from the US government open source publication "The World Factbook", other content copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. You may use this information without permission for educational or other non-profit purposes if you refer to us as the source, contact us if you want to use this commercially.
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