

Topic: Photos of Paracel Islands

Topic: Introduction
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 all the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Woody Island with an airfield and artificial harbor, and has scattered garrisons on some of the other islands. The Paracel islands also are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
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: 8 sq km ca.

land: 7.75 sq km ca.

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: land area is about 13 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 518 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: tropical
Terrain: mostly low and flat
Elevation: highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: other: 100% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: a population of over 1,000 Chinese resides on Woody Island, the largest of the Paracels; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands
Natural hazards: typhoons
Geography - note: composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

Topic: People and Society
Population: 1,440 (July 2014 est.)

note: Chinese activity has increased in recent years, particularly on Woody Island, where the population exceeds 1,000; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA

15-24 years: NA

25-54 years: NA

55-64 years: NA

65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Population growth rate: 0.75% (2021 est.)
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: NA (2021 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population distribution: a population of over 1,000 Chinese resides on Woody Island, the largest of the Paracels; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: NA
Current Health Expenditure: NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: China's use of dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands harms reef systems; ongoing human activities, including military operations, infrastructure construction, and tourism endangers local ecosystem including birds, fish, marine mammals, and marine reptiles
Climate: tropical
Land use: other: 100% (2018 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Paracel Islands

etymology: Portuguese navigators began to refer to the "Ilhas do Pracel" in the 16th century as a designation of low lying islets, sandbanks, and reefs scattered over a wide area; over time the name changed to "parcel" and then "paracel"

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The islands have the potential for oil and gas development. Waters around the islands support commercial fishing, but the islands themselves are not populated on a permanent basis.

Topic: Transportation
Airports: total: 1 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2019)
Ports and terminals: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island

Topic: Military and Security
Military - note: occupied by China, which is assessed to maintain 20 outposts in the Paracels (Antelope, Bombay, and North reefs; Drummond, Duncan, Lincoln, Middle, Money, North, Pattle, Quanfu, Robert, South, Tree, Triton, Woody, and Yagong islands; South Sand and West Sand; Observation Bank); the outposts range in size from one or two buildings to bases with significant military infrastructure; Woody Island is the main base in the Paracels and includes an airstrip with fighter aircraft hangers, naval facilities, surveillance radars, and defenses such as surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles; fighter aircraft have deployed to the island (2021)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnamoccupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam