Introduction

Paracel Islands

Background:

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.

Geography

Paracel Islands

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

People

Paracel Islands

Population:

no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Government

Paracel Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy

Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:

China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation

Paracel Islands

Airports:	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals:	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Military

Paracel Islands

Military - note:

occupied by China

Transnational Issues

Paracel Islands

Disputes - international:

occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Before 1932, Paracel Islands was placed on the map of China by the Qing Dynasty and Republic of China, as well as on the map of Vietnam by the Nguyen Dynasty. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island.

In 1939, Empire of Japan invaded and occupied it.

In 1946, on the basis of Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Declaration, the Republic of China took control of these islands.

In 1951, at the San Francisco Conference on the Treaty of San Francisco with Japan, which does not formally state which nations are sovereign over these islands, Vietnam's representative claimed that both the Paracel and Spratly Islands are territory of Vietnam, and was met with no challenge from the nations at the conference. However neither the People's Republic of China nor the Republic of China (Taiwan) were invited to the San Francisco Peace Conference and therefore neither signed this treaty.

After the French left in 1956, South Vietnam replaced the French in controlling the islands.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has controlled the Paracel Islands since January 19, 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands in the battle of Hoang Sa 1974.

The islands are also claimed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Vietnam. Along with the Spratly Islands, the Paracel Islands are considered part of the Hainan Province by the People's Republic of China. It is currently controlled and administered by the People's Republic of China.

The islands have no indigenous inhabitants. The PRC announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. The small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island are being expanded. There is currently one airport.

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Last update on 14 March 2008