ied by
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Spratly Islands Transnational Issues

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

======================================================================

@Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Introduction

Background: Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the
Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in
1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed
in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil
separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands
have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.

Sri Lanka Geography

Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 65,610 sq km

land: 64,740 sq km

water: 870 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,340 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
southwest monsoon (June to October)

Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
south-central interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems,
phosphates, clay, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 14%

permanent crops: 15%

permanent pastures: 7%

forests and woodland: 32%

other: 32% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife
populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal
degradation from mining activities and increased pollution;
freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage
runof