Paracel Islands:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of the Paracel Islands:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition 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. China built a military installation on Mischief Reef in 1999. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Location	Definition 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
Geographic coordinates	Definition 16 30 N, 112 00 E
Map references	Definition Southeast Asia
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition NA
Land boundaries	Definition 0 km
Coastline	Definition 518 km
Maritime claims	Definition NA
Climate	Definition tropical
Terrain	Definition mostly low and flat
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Natural resources	Definition none
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 0 sq km
Natural hazards	Definition typhoons
Environment - current issues	Definition NA
Geography - note	Definition composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

Paracel Islands: Geography

Paracel Islands:
Geography