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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. China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. |
| | | | Geography | | | | | 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 | | | | | Population: | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons |
| | | | Government | | | | | Country name: | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
| | | | Economy | | | | | Economy—overview: | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. |
| | | | Transportation | | | | | Airports: | 1 (2007) |
| Airports—with paved runways: | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| Ports and terminals: | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded |
| | | | Military | | | | | Military—note: | occupied by China |
| | | | Transnational Issues | | | | | Disputes—international: | occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam |
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