Environment: Climate
tropical
Environment: 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
Environment: Land use: other
100% (2018 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
land area is about 13 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Geography: Area: land
7.75 sq km ca.
Geography: Area: water
0 sq km
Geography: Coastline
518 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
South China Sea 0 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
16 30 N, 112 00 E
Geography: Geography - note
composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group
Geography: Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: other
100% (2018 est.)
Geography: Map references
Southeast Asia
Geography: Natural hazards
typhoons
Geography: 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
Geography: Terrain
mostly low and flat
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Paracel Islands
Introduction: 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: 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: Net migration rate
-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.75% (2021 est.)
Transportation: Airports
2 (2025)
Transportation: Heliports
7 (2025)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.