{"name": "Paracel Islands", "code": "PF", "publish_date": "November 21, 2018", "html": "<div class='wfb-text-box'><div class=\"region1 geos_title eas_dark\"><strong>East Asia/Southeast Asia ::Paracel Islands</strong></div><ul class='expandcollapse'><li id='introduction-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Introduction'ccode='pf'>Introduction ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='introduction-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-introduction-background\">Background:</div><div id=\"field-background\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied all the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. China built a military installation on Woody Island with an airfield and artificial harbor. The islands also are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.</div></div></li><li id='geography-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Geography'ccode='pf'>Geography ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='geography-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-location\">Location:</div><div id=\"field-location\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>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</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-geographic-coordinates\">Geographic coordinates:</div><div id=\"field-geographic-coordinates\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>16 30 N, 112 00 E</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-map-references\">Map references:</div><div id=\"field-map-references\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>Southeast Asia</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-area\">Area:</div><div id=\"field-area\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">total:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">7.75 sq km</span><span class=\"subfield-note\">ca.</span></div><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">land:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">7.75 sq km</span><span class=\"subfield-note\">ca.</span></div><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">water:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">0 sq km</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span></div><div><span class='category'>country comparison to the world:</span><span class='category_data'>244</span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-area-comparative\">Area - comparative:</div><div id=\"field-area-comparative\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>land area is about 13 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-land-boundaries\">Land boundaries:</div><div id=\"field-land-boundaries\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-number\">0 km</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-coastline\">Coastline:</div><div id=\"field-coastline\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-number\">518 km</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-maritime-claims\">Maritime claims:</div><div id=\"field-maritime-claims\"><div class=\"category_data note\">NA</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-climate\">Climate:</div><div id=\"field-climate\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>tropical</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-terrain\">Terrain:</div><div id=\"field-terrain\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>mostly low and flat</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-elevation\">Elevation:</div><div id=\"field-elevation\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-number\">0 m</span><span class=\"subfield-note\">lowest point: South China Sea</span></div><div class=\"category_data note\">14 highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-natural-resources\">Natural resources:</div><div id=\"field-natural-resources\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>none</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-land-use\">Land use:</div><div id=\"field-land-use\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">agricultural land:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">0%</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2011\">(2011 est.)</span></div><div class='category_data subfield grouped_subfield'><span class=\"subfield-name\">arable land:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">0%</span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2011\">(2011 est.)</span>/<span class=\"subfield-name\">permanent crops:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">0%</span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2011\">(2011 est.)</span>/<span class=\"subfield-name\">permanent pasture:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">0%</span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2011\">(2011 est.)</span></div><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">forest:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">0%</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2011\">(2011 est.)</span></div><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">other:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">100%</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2011\">(2011 est.)</span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-irrigated-land\">Irrigated land:</div><div id=\"field-irrigated-land\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-number\">0 sq km</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2012\">(2012)</span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-population-distribution\">Population distribution:</div><div id=\"field-population-distribution\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>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</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-natural-hazards\">Natural hazards:</div><div id=\"field-natural-hazards\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>typhoons</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-environment-current-issues\">Environment - current issues:</div><div id=\"field-environment-current-issues\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>China's use of dredged sand and coral to build artificial islands harms reef systems; ongoing human activities, including military operations, infrastructure construction, and tourism endangers local ecosystem including birds, fish, marine mammals, and marine reptiles</div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-geography-geography-note\">Geography - note:</div><div id=\"field-geography-note\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group</div></div></li><li id='people-and-society-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='People and Society'ccode='pf'>People and Society ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='people-and-society-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-people-and-society-population\">Population:</div><div id=\"field-population\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-number\">1,440</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2014\">(2014 est.)</span></div><div class=\"category_data note\"><p><strong>note:</strong> Chinese activity has increased in recent years, particularly on Woody Island, where the population exceeds 1,000; there are scattered Chinese garrisons on some other islands</p></div><div><span class='category'>country comparison to the world:</span><span class='category_data'>234</span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-people-and-society-population-distribution\">Population distribution:</div><div id=\"field-population-distribution\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>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</div></div></li><li id='government-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Government'ccode='pf'>Government ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='government-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-government-country-name\">Country name:</div><div id=\"field-country-name\"><div class='category_data subfield text'><span class=\"subfield-name\">conventional long form:</span>none</div><div class='category_data subfield text'><span class=\"subfield-name\">conventional short form:</span>Paracel Islands</div><div class='category_data subfield text'><span class=\"subfield-name\">etymology:</span>Portuguese navigators began to refer to the \"Ilhas do Pracel\" in the 16th century as a designation of low lying islets, sandbanks, and reefs scattered over a wide area; over time the name changed to \"parcel\" and then \"paracel\"</div></div></li><li id='economy-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Economy'ccode='pf'>Economy ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='economy-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-economy-economy-overview\">Economy - overview:</div><div id=\"field-economy-overview\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>The islands have the potential for oil and gas development. Waters around the islands support commercial fishing, but the islands themselves are not populated on a permanent basis.</div></div></li><li id='transportation-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Transportation'ccode='pf'>Transportation ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='transportation-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-transportation-airports\">Airports:</div><div id=\"field-airports\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-number\">1</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2013\">(2013)</span></div><div><span class='category'>country comparison to the world:</span><span class='category_data'>233</span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-transportation-airports-with-paved-runways\">Airports - with paved runways:</div><div id=\"field-airports-with-paved-runways\"><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">total:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">1</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2017\">(2017)</span></div><div class='category_data subfield numeric'><span class=\"subfield-name\">1,524 to 2,437 m:</span><span class=\"subfield-number\">1</span><span class=\"subfield-note\"></span><span class=\"subfield-date\" aria-label=\"Date of information: 2017\">(2017)</span></div></div><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-transportation-ports-and-terminals\">Ports and terminals:</div><div id=\"field-ports-and-terminals\"><div class=\"category_data note\">small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island</div></div></li><li id='military-and-security-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Military and Security'ccode='pf'>Military and Security ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='military-and-security-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-military-and-security-military-note\">Military - note:</div><div id=\"field-military-note\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>occupied by China</div></div></li><li id='transnational-issues-category-section-anchor'><div class='question eas_med' sectiontitle='Transnational Issues'ccode='pf'>Transnational Issues ::<span class='region'>Paracel Islands</span></div></li><li id='transnational-issues-category-section'><div class=\"category eas_light\" style=\"padding-left:5px;\" id=\"field-anchor-transnational-issues-disputes-international\">Disputes - international:</div><div id=\"field-disputes-international\"><div class='category_data subfield text'>occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam</div></div></li></ul></div>"}