Compare Spratly Islands (2002) - Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002)

Compare Spratly Islands (2002) z Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002)

	Spratly Islands (2002)	Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002)

Airports	4 (2001)	-
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 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: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island
Area - comparative	NA	about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background	This archipelago - surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits - is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. All five parties occupy certain islands or reefs.	These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.
Climate	tropical	tropical
Coastline	926 km	74.1 km
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands	conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Dependency status	-	territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	none (territory of Australia)
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	-
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 3 m
Environment - current issues	NA	NA
Flag description	-	the flag of Australia is used
Geographic coordinates	8 38 N, 111 55 E	12 14 S, 123 05 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	Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983
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% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.)
Legal system	-	the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, 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	Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia
Map references	Southeast Asia	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	NA	contiguous zone: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing 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 Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force
Natural hazards	typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals	surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards
Natural resources	fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential	fish
People - note	-	the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2002 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh waster at Ashmore Reef's West Island
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	none; offshore anchorage only
Terrain	flat	low with sand and coral
Waterways	none	none

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