Spratly Islands (2001) | Europa Island (2004) | |
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Airports | 4 (2000 est.) | 1 (2003 est.) |
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.) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 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: 28 sq km
land: 28 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about 0.16 times the size of 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 | A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. |
Climate | tropical | tropical |
Coastline | 926 km | 22.2 km |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Spratly Islands |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Europa Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Europa |
Dependency status | - | possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion |
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 | claimed by Madagascar |
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: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 24 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Flag description | - | the flag of France is used |
Geographic coordinates | 8 38 N, 111 55 E | 22 20 S, 40 22 E |
Geography - note | strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs | wildlife sanctuary |
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% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001) |
Legal system | - | the laws of France, 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 | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from southern Madagascar to southern Mozambique |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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 France |
Natural hazards | typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals | NA |
Natural resources | fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential | NEGL |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2001 est.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | none; offshore anchorage only |
Terrain | flat | low and flat |
Waterways | none | - |