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Paracel Islands |
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| Introduction | Paracel Islands |
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| 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. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. |
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| Geography | Paracel Islands |
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| 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 |
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| 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% (2001) |
| 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 |
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| Population: | no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2004 est.) |
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| Government | Paracel Islands |
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| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
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| Economy | Paracel Islands |
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| Economy - overview: | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. |
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| Transportation | Paracel Islands |
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| Ports and harbors: | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded |
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| Airports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Paracel Islands |
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| Military - note: | occupied by China |
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This page was last updated on 1 January 2003
This is a snapshot of the CIA World Fact Book as it existed on 26 March 2005