### Paracel Islands

- Introduction
- Geography
- People
- Government
- Economy
- Transportation
- Military
- Transnational Issues

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

Map references: Southeast Asia

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: China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

TRANSPORTATION

Airports: 1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

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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