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