laimed by Malaysia and
the Philippines. All five parties occupy certain islands or reefs.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South
China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the
southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: less than 5 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral
reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of
the central South China Sea water: 0 sq km land: less than 5 sq km

Area - comparative: NA

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 926 km

Maritime claims: NA

Climate: tropical

Terrain: flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point:
unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas
potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous
reefs and shoals

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: strategically located near several primary shipping
lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands,
atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons
occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate: NA

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - 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.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Airports: 4 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m:
2 (2001)

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note: Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands
or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia,
the Philippin