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

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

	Coral Sea Islands (2004)	Spratly Islands (2003)

Airports	-	3 (2002)
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 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: 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	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 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 50 islands are occupied by China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about 100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no outposts. (2002)
Climate	tropical	tropical
Coastline	3,095 km	926 km
Country name	conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly 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	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; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"
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: 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 Southwest Cay 4 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	8 38 N, 111 55 E
Geography - note	important nesting area for birds and turtles	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% (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 reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern 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	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	occasional tropical cyclones	typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Natural resources	NEGL	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
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 garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	none; offshore anchorage only
Terrain	sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)	flat
Waterways	-	none

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