2000 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2000 (Project Gutenberg)
Countries
237
Data Records
33,395
Categories
9
Source
CIA World Factbook 2000 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
- land
- NA sq km
- total
- NA sq km
- water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
NA
Climate
tropical
Coastline
518 km
Elevation extremes
- highest point
- unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
- lowest point
- South China Sea 0 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Irrigated land
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
- arable land
- 0%
- forests and woodland
- 0%
- other
- 100%
- permanent crops
- 0%
- permanent pastures
- 0%
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
Map references
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
NA
Natural hazards
typhoons
Natural resources
none
Terrain
NA
People and Society
Population
- no indigenous inhabitants
- note
- there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2000 est.)
Government
Country name
- conventional long form
- none
- conventional short form
- Paracel Islands
Data code
PF
Economy
Economy - overview
China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Transportation
Airports
1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
- total
- 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors
small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Military and Security
Military - note
occupied by China
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
- occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
- PARAGUAY