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Background:
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The
Paracel Islands are 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 Taiwan and Vietnam. |
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Location:
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates:
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16 30 N,
112 00 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
NA sq km
land: NA sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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NA |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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518 km
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Maritime claims:
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NA |
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Climate:
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tropical
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Terrain:
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mostly
low and flat |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island
14 m |
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Natural resources:
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none |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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0 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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composed
of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the
northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent
Group |
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Population:
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no
indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
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Economy - overview:
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China
announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
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Ports and harbors:
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small
Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan
Island being expanded |
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Airports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military - note:
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occupied
by China |
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Disputes - international:
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occupied
by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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