Compare Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2005) - Spratly Islands (2002)

Compare Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2005) z Spratly Islands (2002)

	Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2005)	Spratly Islands (2002)

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: 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. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.	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	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 by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of Australia)	-
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of Australia)	-
Disputes - international	Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian traditional fishing and created a national park in the region while continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity	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	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, and 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 (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Legal system	the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply	-
Location	Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island	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	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 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; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Natural resources	fish	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
People - note	the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem	-
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2005 est.)	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	none; offshore anchorage only
Terrain	low with sand and coral	flat
Waterways	-	none

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