Compare Spratly Islands (2008) - Baker Island (2003)

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) z Baker Island (2003)

	Spratly Islands (2008)	Baker Island (2003)

Airports	3 (2007)	1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	-
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	-
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	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 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim.	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 reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands	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. 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
Heliports	3 (2007)	-
Irrigated land	0 sq km	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	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; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard	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	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 2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	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

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