Location: Southeastern Asia, in the South China Sea, between Vietnam and the Philippines

Map references: Asia, Southeast Asia

Area:
total area: NA sq km but less than 5 km2
land area: less than 5 sq km
comparative area: NA
note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over the South China Sea

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 926 km

Maritime claims: NA

International disputes: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive economic zone, which encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island

Climate: tropical

Terrain: flat

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: subject to typhoons
international agreements: NA

Note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; serious navigational hazard; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

NOTE: The information regarding Spratly Islands on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Spratly Islands Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Spratly Islands Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.