Compare Coral Sea Islands (2004) - Paracel Islands (2003)

Compare Coral Sea Islands (2004) z Paracel Islands (2003)

	Coral Sea Islands (2004)	Paracel Islands (2003)

Airports	-	1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important	total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	NA	NA
Background	Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.	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.
Climate	tropical	tropical
Coastline	3,095 km	518 km
Country name	conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Dependency status	territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the 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	occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
Economy - overview	no economic activity	China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Environment - current issues	no permanent fresh water resources	NA
Executive branch	administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories	-
Flag description	the flag of Australia is used	-
Geographic coordinates	18 00 S, 152 00 E	16 30 N, 112 00 E
Geography - note	important nesting area for birds and turtles	composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
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% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Legal system	the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply	-
Location	Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia	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
Map references	Oceania	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	NA
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors	occupied by China
Natural hazards	occasional tropical cyclones	typhoons
Natural resources	NEGL	none
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded
Terrain	sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)	mostly low and flat
Waterways	-	none

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