| Published on February 9, 2010 |
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Report
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 the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Geography
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
Area:
total: NA sq km
land: NA 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% (2005)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
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
People
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Economy
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.
Transportation
Airports: 1 (2009)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)
Ports and terminals: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Military
Military - note: occupied by China
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
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