Paracel Islands facts for kids
| Disputed islands | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Paracel Islands | |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 16°30′N 112°00′E / 16.500°N 112.000°E |
| Total islands | >30 |
| Major islands | Rocky Island, Tree Island, Woody Island |
| Area | 15,000 km² (ocean surface) |
| Coastline | 518 kilometres (322 mi) |
| Highest point | on Rocky Island 14 metres (46 ft) |
| Administered by | |
 People's Republic of China |
|
| Province | Hainan |
| Claimed by | |
 Viet Nam |
|
| Prefecture-level city | Da Nang |
 Republic of China |
|
| Municipality | Kaohsiung |
| Paracel Islands | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 西沙群島 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 西沙群岛 | ||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||
| Vietnamese | Quần đảo Hoàng Sa | ||||||||||
| Hán Nôm | 群島黃沙 | ||||||||||
Paracel Islands is the name for a number of uninhabited atolls and reefs in the South China Sea. They are about 330 kilometres (210 mi) from Hainan and about 400 kilometres (250 mi) from Vietnam. Currently they are under the control of the People's Republic of China, but Taiwan and Vietnam also claim them. The islands are uninhabited.
The islands are located in the South China Sea consisting of over 30 islets, sandbanks and reefs with about 15,000 square kilometres (5,800 sq mi) of the ocean surface. The archipelago is approximately equidistant from the coastlines of Vietnam and China, 180 nautical miles (330 km; 210 mi) southeast of Hainan Island, and about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines. Turtles live on the islands, and seabirds have left nests and guano deposits, but there are no permanent human residents except military personnel and fishermen.
The islands are divided into two main groups. The Amphitrite group is in the northeast and the Crescent group is in the southwest, and they are located about 70 km (43 mi) from one another. Subject to hot and humid climate, with abundant rainfall and frequent typhoons, the archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Location of the Paracel Islands showing the more significant PRC settlements
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Aerial photo of the Crescent group
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Paracel Islands as shown in Zheng He Voyage Map (suggested by some to be the islands to the left at the bottom)
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18th century European map showing the Paracel Islands as part of Cochinchina (Vietnam)
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Harbour developments between the Duncan Islands (December 2012)
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Letter from South Vietnam's General Staff of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, dated 02-18-74, concerning the Battle of the Paracel Islands
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The Route through Quảng Nam map depicting Bãi Cát Vàng – the Golden Sandbank – off the coast of Quảng Nam, 1634
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The Royal Ordinance issued by Emperor Minh Mạng, 1835
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1880 German map of Southeast Asia, locating the Paracel Islands as part of "Annam" (Vietnam)
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Money Island
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Pattle Island
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Robert Island
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Antelope Reef
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Bombay Reef
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Bremen Bank
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Discovery Reef
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Iltis Bank
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Lincoln Island
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North Reef
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Passu Keah Reef
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Triton Island
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