| Background: |
This archipelago
is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potentially
large oil reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the
islands and set up a weather station on Prattle Island;
maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam. China
has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western
islands. However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam
and Taiwan. |
| 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 |
| Terrain: |
mostly low and
flat |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island
14 m |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% |
| Irrigated
land: |
0 sq km (1993) |
| Natural
hazards: |
typhoons |
| Environment
- current issues: |
NA |
| Population: |
no indigenous
inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons
(July 2001 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
| Economy
- overview: |
China announced
plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. |
| Ports
and harbors: |
small Chinese
port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being
expanded |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
occupied by China |
| Disputes
- international: |
occupied by
China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam |
|
