ARCHIVE // pg // 2003

Spratly Islands

2003 Edition — disputed

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Economy
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
Geography
Area [time series]
total: less than 5 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 water: 0 sq km land: less than 5 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
NA
Climate [time series]
tropical
Coastline [time series]
926 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
8 38 N, 111 55 E
Geography - note [time series]
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
Irrigated land [time series]
0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Location [time series]
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
Map references [time series]
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
NA
Natural hazards [time series]
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Natural resources [time series]
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Terrain [time series]
flat
Government
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Introduction
Background [time series]
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 50 islands are occupied by China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about 100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no outposts.
Military
Military - note [time series]
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
People
Population [time series]
no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2003 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
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 island; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"
Transportation
Airports [time series]
3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
none; offshore anchorage only
Waterways [time series]
none