Geography of the Spratly Islands
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
Geographic coordinates:
8 38 N, 111 55 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
Area - comparative:
NA
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
926 km
Maritime claims:
NA
Climate:
tropical
Terrain:
flat
Elevation extremes:
Natural resources:
fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
Land use:
Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards:
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
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
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location on Southwest Cay[?] 4 m
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
100%
External links