CIA Facts on the Paracel Islands

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. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

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


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

Government
Paracel Islands

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

Economy
Paracel Islands

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

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
Paracel Islands

Military - note:
occupied by China

Transnational Issues
Paracel Islands

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

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pf.html