List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands dispute Territorial disputes in the South China Sea Philippines and the Spratly Islands Dangerous Ground (South China Sea) Great Wall of Sand History of the Spratly Islands List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands List of airports in the Spratly Islands Vietnamese DK1 rigs Royal Malaysian Navy Offshore Bases Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads Free Territory of Freedomland Southwest Cay incident (1975) East Sea Campaign (1975) Johnson South Reef skirmish (1988) Download coordinates as: This page features a series of lists of maritime features in the Spratly Islands.
Of the hundreds of maritime features in the Spratly Islands, relatively few have land permanently above sea-level that is larger than protruding rocks.
There are only 13 islands and cays with a natural area above sea-level larger than one hectare.
[note 1] With the exception of Swallow Reef, prior to 2014 there had been no large-scale land reclamation beyond building breakwaters and piers, and extending runways.
The following table contains the 16 largest "natural" features, (i.e. not including reclaimed land),[3] plus the features with significant amounts of reclaimed land: The boundaries of the Spratly Islands are not firmly defined.
West-to-east, the islands range from the coastal waters of Vietnam to the east of Dangerous Ground and the Palawan Passage (approx.
106-117°E), and south-to-north from the coastal waters of Borneo and the southern South China Sea to the north of Dangerous Ground and the Reed Bank (approx.
The remainder of the Spratly Islands are mainly to the west and south of Dangerous Ground, with some features to the east.
As of 2011[update], has permanent reef fortresses and supply platforms able to resist winds up to 71 knots and equipped with VHF / UHF communications equipment, search radars as well as naval guns and anti-aircraft guns, which can serve as docks for Chinese navy patrol boats.
"Marine observation station" built by PRC in 1988; PRC built a navy harbor by blasting, piling up and cementing coral; coconut, fir, and banyan trees planted.
As of 2011[update], designated the PRC main command headquarters; equipped with satellite data transmission, surface and air search radars; armed with at least four high-powered naval guns and several gun emplacements.
[1] In February 2015, land reclamation was already estimated having reached 2.3 km2, turning the reef to the largest landmass in Spratly islands.
As of 2011[update], has permanent reef fortresses and supply platforms able to resist winds up to 71 knots and equipped with VHF / UHF communications equipment, search radars as well as naval guns and anti-aircraft guns, which can serve as docks for Chinese navy patrol boats.
[41] Natural features Lies 9 miles (14 km) to the east of Sin Cowe Island.
[41] Natural features Contiguous with Vietnam-occupied Collins Reef which lies 4 miles (6 km) away northwest.
As of 2011[update], has permanent reef fortresses and supply platforms able to resist winds up to 71 knots and equipped with VHF / UHF communications equipment, search radars as well as naval guns and anti-aircraft guns, which can serve as docks for Chinese navy patrol boats.
[46] By April 2015, the reclaimed area had rapidly grown to almost 2.5 km2, and further reclamation was on-going around the reef.
Occupation before land reclamation As of 2011[update], PRC has built a permanent reef fortress and supply platform that can house 160 troops.
Occupied since September 1956, four months after Filipino Tomas Cloma claimed the islands.
It is also under the control of Vietnam, near Vietnam-occupied Grierson Reef 安渡灘 雙黃沙洲 貢士礁 鐵線礁 鐵峙礁 華礁 朱應灘 常駿暗沙 Disputes with China Disputes with China and Taiwan
