Compare Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2001) - Spratly Islands (2006)

Compare Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2001) z Spratly Islands (2006)

	Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2001)	Spratly Islands (2006)

Airports	-	3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Area	total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island	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	about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC	NA
Background	These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Recent geological explorations have indicated promising petroleum formations.	The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal claim.
Climate	tropical	tropical
Coastline	74.1 km	926 km
Country name	conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands
Dependency status	territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of Australia)	-
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of Australia)	-
Disputes - international	none	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 reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands
Economy - overview	no economic activity	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. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Environment - current issues	NA	NA
Flag description	the flag of Australia is used	-
Geographic coordinates	12 14 S, 123 05 E	8 38 N, 111 55 E
Geography - note	Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983	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 (1993)	0 sq km
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Legal system	the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply	-
Location	Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia	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	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM	NA
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force	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	surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards	typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard
Natural resources	fish	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are only seasonal caretakers (July 2001 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (2004)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	-
Terrain	low with sand and coral	flat
Waterways	none	-

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