The DICT Development Group
1 definition found
for Spratly Islands
From CIA World Factbook 2002 :
Spratly Islands
Introduction Spratly Islands
----------------------------
Background: This archipelago - surrounded by
rich fishing grounds and potentially
by gas and oil deposits - is claimed
in its entirety by China, Taiwan,
and Vietnam, while portions are
claimed by Malaysia and the
Philippines. All five parties occupy
certain islands or reefs.
Geography Spratly Islands
-------------------------
Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs
and islands in the South China Sea,
about two-thirds of the way from
southern Vietnam to the southern
Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 111 55 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: less than 5 sq km
note: includes 100 or so islets,
coral reefs, and sea mounts
scattered over an area of nearly
410,000 sq km of the central South
China Sea
water: 0 sq km
land: less than 5 sq km
Area - comparative: NA
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 926 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: flat
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on
Southwest Cay 4 m
Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and
natural gas potential
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard
because of numerous reefs and shoals
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: strategically located near several
primary shipping lanes in the
central South China Sea; includes
numerous small islands, atolls,
shoals, and coral reefs
People Spratly Islands
----------------------
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons
occupied by personnel of several
claimant states (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Spratly Islands
--------------------------
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Spratly
Islands
Economy Spratly Islands
-----------------------
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to
commercial fishing. The proximity to
nearby oil- and gas-producing
sedimentary basins suggests the
potential for oil and gas deposits,
but the region is largely
unexplored, and there are no
reliable estimates of potential
reserves; commercial exploitation
has yet to be developed.
Transportation Spratly Islands
------------------------------
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Military Spratly Islands
------------------------
Military - note: Spratly Islands consist of more than
100 small islands or reefs, of which
about 45 are claimed and occupied by
China, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Taiwan, and Vietnam
Transnational Issues Spratly Islands
------------------------------------
Disputes - international: 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 fishing zone that
encompasses Louisa Reef in the
southern Spratly Islands, but has
not publicly claimed the island; in
2000, China joined ASEAN discussions
towards creating a South China Sea
"code of conduct" - a non-legally
binding confidence building measure
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