Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands
⌘K
Overview
- Background
- The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs surrounded by rich fishing grounds -- and potentially by gas and oil deposits. China, Taiwan, and Vietnam all claim the islands in their entirety, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. Around 70 disputed islets and reefs in the Spratly Islands are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Since 1985, Brunei has claimed a continental shelf that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim to the reef. Brunei claims an exclusive economic zone over this area.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 5 sq km less than
- Note
- note: includes over 100 islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km (158,000 sq mi) in the central South China Sea
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 5 sq km less than
- Climate
- tropical
- Terrain
- small, flat islands, islets, cays, and reefs
Land Use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
- Location
- Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines
- Coastline
- 926 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- South China Sea 0 m
- Highest point
- unnamed location on Southwest Cay 6 m
- Map references
- Southeast Asia
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
- Natural hazards
- typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard
- Geography note
- strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs
- Natural resources
- fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential
- Area comparative
- land area is about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 8 38 N, 111 55 E
People & Society
Population
- Note
- note: scattered garrisons are occupied by military personnel of several claimant states
- Total
- no permanent inhabitants
Government
Country Name
- Etymology
- named after British whaling captain Richard SPRATLY, who sighted the islands in 1843
- Conventional long form
- none
- Conventional short form
- Spratly Islands
Environment
- Climate
- tropical
Land Use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
- Environmental issues
- harm to reefs from China's use of dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands; illegal fishing practices
Military & Security
- Military note
- around 70 disputed islets and reefs in the Spratly Islands are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
China: occupies seven outposts (Fiery Cross, Mischief, Subi, Cuarteron, Gavin, Hughes, and Johnson reefs); the outposts on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi include air bases with helipads and aircraft hangers, naval port facilities, surveillance radars, air defense and anti-ship missile sites, and other military infrastructure such as communications, barracks, maintenance facilities, and ammunition and fuel bunkers
Malaysia: occupies five outposts in the southern portion of the archipelago, closest to the Malaysian state of Sabah (Ardasier Reef, Eric Reef, Mariveles Reef, Shallow Reef, and Investigator Shoal); all the outposts have helicopter landing pads, while Shallow Reef also has an airstrip
Philippines: occupies nine features (Commodore Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, Flat Island, Loaita Cay, Loaita Island, Nanshan Island, Northeast Cay, Thitu Island, and West York Island); Thitu Island has an airstrip and a coast guard station
Taiwan: maintains a coast guard outpost with an airstrip on Itu Aba Island
Vietnam: occupies about 50 outposts, plus some 14 platforms known as “economic, scientific, and technological service stations” (Dịch vụ-Khoa) that sit on underwater banks to the southeast that Vietnam does not consider part of the disputed island chain, although China and Taiwan disagree; Spratly Islands outposts are on Alison Reef, Amboyna Cay, Barque Canada Reef, Central Reef, Collins Reef, Cornwallis South Reef, Discovery Great Reef, East Reef, Grierson Reef, Ladd Reef, Landsdowne Reef, Namyit Island, Pearson Reef, Petley Reef, Sand Cay, Sin Cowe Island, South Reef, Southwest Cay, Spratly Island, Tennent Reef, West Reef; the underwater banks with stations include Vanguard, Rifleman, Prince of Wales, Prince Consort, Grainger, and Alexandra; in recent years, Vietnam has continued to make improvements to its outposts, including defensive positions and infrastructure (2025)
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Spratly Islands — vintage 2026-Q1: Spratly Islands factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/spratly-islands
Sources: CIA World Factbook