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.

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
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Southeast Asia
total: NA sq km ; land: NA sq km ; water: 0 sq km
NA
0 km
518 km
NA
tropical
mostly low and flat
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m ; highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
none
arable land: 0% ; permanent crops: 0% ; other: 100% (2005)
0 sq km


typhoons
NA

composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
no indigenous inhabitants ; note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons




















conventional long form: none ; conventional short form: Paracel Islands























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






























































1 (2007)
total: 1 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)







small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded







occupied by China
occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam



