Paracel Islands

East and Southeast Asia

Population

2.2K

Area

8 km²

GDP

N/A

GDP Per Capita

N/A

Pop. Density

279/km²

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.

Geography16

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, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

518 km

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 (2022)

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

People & Society4

Population

total: 2,230 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

0.75% (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

Government1

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Transportation2

Airports

2 (2025)

Heliports

7 (2025)

Military & Security1

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)

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