Spratly Islands--Geography

CIA FactbookThe World Factbook 1993: Spratly Islands Geography

Location: in the South China Sea, between Vietnam and the Philippines

Area: total area: NA km2 but less than 5 km2 land area: less than 5 km2 comparative area: NA

note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South China Sea

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 926 km

Maritime claims: NA

International disputes: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island

Climate: tropical

Terrain: flat

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 km2

Environment: subject to typhoons; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; serious navigational hazard