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.
Geography
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
comparison ranking: total 241
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
Maritime claims
NA
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 and Society
Population
total: 2,230 (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: total 231
Population growth rate
0.75% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: 118
Net migration rate
-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: 130
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
Environment
Environment – current 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
Climate
tropical
Land use
other: 100% (2018 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands
Transportation
Airports
2 (2025)
comparison ranking: 201
Heliports
7 (2025)
comparison ranking: 91
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 fighter aircraft hangers, naval facilities, surveillance radars, and defenses such as surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles; combat aircraft have deployed to the island (2025)
