1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Airports
total: 4 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
Area
total area: NA sq km but less than 5 km2 land area: less than 5 sq km comparative area: NA note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South China Sea
Climate
tropical
Coastline
926 km
Digraph
PG
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to typhoons international agreements: NA
Industries
none
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
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Southeastern Asia, in the South China Sea, between Vietnam and the Philippines
Map references
Asia, Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
NA
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Natural resources
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Note
- strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; serious navigational hazard; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
- about 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
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.
Population
no indigenous inhabitants; note - there are scattered garrisons
Ports
no natural harbors
Terrain
flat