SELECT EDITION
CATEGORIES
◆ ENVIRONMENT(3 fields)
Climate
tropical
Environmental issues
harm to reef systems from China's use of dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands; damage to ecosystem from human activities, including military operations, infrastructure construction, and tourism
Land use
other: 100% (2018 est.)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(16 fields)
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, D.C.
Climate
tropical
Coastline
518 km
Elevation
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Geographic coordinates
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Geography - note
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Land use
other: 100% (2018 est.)
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
Map references
Southeast Asia
Natural hazards
typhoons
Natural resources
none
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
Terrain
mostly low and flat
◆ GOVERNMENT(1 fields)
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island. China has occupied all the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China has built a military installation on Woody Island with an airfield and artificial harbor, and it has scattered garrisons on some of the other islands. Taiwan and Vietnam also claim the Paracel Islands.
◆ MILITARY AND SECURITY(1 fields)
Military - note
occupied by China, which is assessed to maintain 20 outposts or bases 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); Woody Island is the main military base and includes an airstrip with aircraft hangers, naval facilities, surveillance radars, and defenses such as surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles (2025)
◆ PEOPLE AND SOCIETY(4 fields)
Net migration rate
-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Population
total: 2,230 (2024 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
Population growth rate
0.75% (2021 est.)
◆ TRANSPORTATION(2 fields)
Airports
2 (2025)
Heliports
7 (2025)