Paracel Islands

The Paracel Islands are a disputed, largely uninhabited island group in the South China Sea, claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, with no permanent civilian population and no local language.
Personnel stationed there use the language of the administering claimant, most commonly Chinese (Mandarin).

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: NA

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%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: typhoons

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements

People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Government

Country name:
conventional long form : none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Data code: PF

Economy

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Airports: 1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total : 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (on Woody Island) (1996 est.)

Military

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam