Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Baker Island (2004)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Baker Island (2004)

	Paracel Islands (2003)	Baker Island (2004)

Airports	1 (2002)	1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)	-
Area	total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 1.4 sq km land: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	NA	about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background	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.	The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.
Climate	tropical	equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Coastline	518 km	4.8 km
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island
Dependency status	-	unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Disputes - international	occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam	none
Economy - overview	China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.	no economic activity
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m
Environment - current issues	NA	no natural fresh water resources
Flag description	-	the flag of the US is used
Geographic coordinates	16 30 N, 112 00 E	0 13 N, 176 31 W
Geography - note	composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group	treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife
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% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Legal system	-	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Location	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	Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Map references	Southeast Asia	Oceania
Maritime claims	NA	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military - note	occupied by China	defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
Natural hazards	typhoons	the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources	none	guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)	uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded	none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Terrain	mostly low and flat	low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef
Transportation - note	-	there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
Waterways	none	-

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