Compare Spratly Islands (2001) - Baker Island (2002)

Compare Spratly Islands (2001) z Baker Island (2002)

	Spratly Islands (2001)	Baker Island (2002)

Airports	4 (2000 est.)	1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)	-
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)	-
Area	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	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	Rich fishing grounds and the potential for gas and oil deposits have caused this archipelago to be claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties have occupied certain islands or reefs, and occasional clashes have occurred between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces	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	926 km	4.8 km
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly 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	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	none
Economy - overview	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.	no economic activity
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 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	8 38 N, 111 55 E	0 13 N, 176 31 W
Geography - note	strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs	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 (1993)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Legal system	-	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Location	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	Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Map references	Southeast Asia	Oceania
Maritime claims	NA	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Military - note	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	defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard
Natural hazards	typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals	the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential	guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2001 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 (July 2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Terrain	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	none

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