gnificant efforts to do so; the current legal framework
does not contain elements of crimes that characterize trafficking;
the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic
procedure to identify victims of trafficking; the government did not
prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has not
ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

major consumer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Paracel Islands

Introduction
Paracel Islands

Background:

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. China built
a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are
claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

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
land: NA sq km
water: 0 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% (2005)

Irrigated land:

0 sq km

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

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