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
