Spratly Islands - Geographic and Economic Overview

Geographic and Economic Overview

• Coordinates: 10°N 114°E / 10°N 114°E / 10; 114 (Spratly Island)
• Area (land based): less than 5 km² - includes 148 or so islets, coral reefs, and seamounts.

(sea surface): 410,000 km² of the central South China Sea

• Coastline: 926 km
• Political divisions: (in alphabetic order of claimants)
  • Brunei: Part of Brunei's Exclusive Economic Zone;
  • People's Republic of China: Part of Hainan province;
  • Malaysia: Part of the state of Sabah;
  • Philippines: Part of Palawan province;
  • Republic of China (Taiwan): Part of Kaohsiung municipality;
  • Vietnam: Part of Khánh Hòa Province.

• Climate: tropical
• Terrain: flat
• Elevation extremes:
  • lowest point: South China Sea (0 m)
  • highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay (4 m)
• Natural hazards: serious maritime hazards because of numerous banks, reefs and shoals

The islands are most likely volcanic in origin. The islands themselves contain almost no significant arable land and have no indigenous inhabitants, although twenty of the islands, including Taiping Island, the largest, are considered to be able to sustain human life. Natural resources include fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential. Economic activity includes commercial fishing, shipping, and tourism. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation of hydrocarbons has yet to be developed. The Hydrocarbon deposits have been valued at 26.3 Trillion US dollars as of 2012. The Spratly Islands have at least three fishing ports, several docks and harbors, at least three heliports, at least four territorial rigging style outposts (especially due west of Namyit Island), and six to eight airstrips.These islands are strategically located near several primary shipping lanes.