From CIA World Factbook 2002 :
Paracel Islands
Introduction Paracel Islands
----------------------------
Background: This archipelago is 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 Vietnam and
Taiwan.
Geography Paracel Islands
-------------------------
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
water: 0 sq km
land: NA 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% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
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 Paracel Islands
----------------------
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese
garrisons (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
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.
Transportation Paracel Islands
------------------------------
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: small Chinese port facilities on
Woody Island and Duncan Island being
expanded
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Military Paracel Islands
------------------------
Military - note: occupied by China
Transnational Issues Paracel Islands
------------------------------------
Disputes - international: occupied by China, but claimed by
Taiwan and Vietnam