|  | |
| Airports | 4 (2001) | 
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) | 
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) | 
| Area | total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 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 | 
| Area - comparative | NA | 
| Background | This archipelago - surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits - is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties occupy certain islands or reefs. | 
| Climate | tropical | 
| Coastline | 926 km | 
| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands | 
| 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 | 
| 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. | 
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m | 
| Environment - current issues | NA | 
| Geographic coordinates | 8 38 N, 111 55 E | 
| Geography - note | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs | 
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 
| Land use | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) | 
| 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 | 
| Map references | Southeast Asia | 
| Maritime claims | NA | 
| 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 Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam | 
| Natural hazards | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals | 
| Natural resources | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential | 
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.) | 
| Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | 
| Terrain | flat | 
| Waterways | none |