Disputed islands Other names: Zhongsha Islands 中沙群島 Zhongsha Qundao Quần đảo Trung Sa Central Sand Islands |
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South China Sea with Macclesfield Bank | |
Geography | |
Location | South China Sea |
Coordinates | 16°00′N 114°30′E / 16°N 114.5°ECoordinates: 16°00′N 114°30′E / 16°N 114.5°E |
Total islands | 0 |
Major islands | none |
Area | 6,448 square kilometres (2,490 sq mi) |
Length | about 130 kilometres (81 mi) |
Width | about 70 kilometres (43 mi) |
Highest point | unnamed point below sea level -9.2 metres (−30 ft) |
Administered by | |
[[|]] | |
Claimed by | |
People's Republic of China | |
County | Paracels, Spratlys, and Zhongsha Islands Authority, Hainan |
Republic of China | |
Municipality | Kaohsiung |
Philippines | |
Province | Zambales |
Vietnam | |
Demographics | |
Population | none |
Macclesfield Bank or Zhongsha Islands (Chinese 中沙群島 Pinyin: Zhongsha Qundao; Vietnamese: Quần đảo Trung Sa, literally Central Sand Islands) is an elongated sunken atoll of underwater reefs and shoals in South China Sea and part of the disputed South China Sea Islands, centered around 16°00′N 114°30′E / 16°N 114.5°E, east of the Paracel Islands. Its length exceeds 130 km (81 mi) southwest-northeast, with a maximal width of more than 70 km (43 mi). With an area of 6,448 km2 (2,490 sq mi) within the outer rim of the reef [1], although completely submerged without any emergent cays or islets, it is one of the largest atolls of the world.
The broken coral reef rim of Macclesfield Bank, with a width of up to 8 km (5 mi), has depths of 11.8 m (39 ft) at Pygmy Shoal on the northeast end of the bank and depths of 11.6 to 18 m (59 ft) elsewhere. Within the lagoon, Walker Shoal marks the least known depth of 9.2 meters. In general, the central lagoon is very deep, with depths up to 100 meters [2].
Macclesfield Bank is claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, and Vietnam. It is located east of the Paracel Islands, distantly southwest of the Pratas Islands and north of the Spratly Islands.
There are no military stations there. It is a rich fishing ground and difficult to navigate due to the shallow submerged reefs.
The elongated atoll consists of:
The Chinese term for the Macclesfield Bank has a wider meaning than the geographic feature or atoll; it includes some geographically separate features:
To the east, near the Philippines are
- Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal), (Nanyan Dao, Huangyan Dao), 南巖島, 黃岩島, 15°11′N 117°46′E / 15.183°N 117.767°E), is occupied by the Philippines
- Truro Shoal (Sianfa Ansha, Shianfa Ansha, 特魯暗沙, 16°20′N 116°44′E / 16.333°N 116.733°E)
Far to the north is
- Helen Shoal (Itung Ansha, Yitong Ansha, 一統暗沙, 19°12′N 113°53′E / 19.2°N 113.883°E) is only a few kilometers south of Hong Kong
- Stewart Shoal (Banc Stewart (Seamount), Ssu-ti-wa-erh-t'e Ansha, 管事暗灘, 17°20′N 118°50′E / 17.333°N 118.833°E)
- Huangyan Seamount (黃岩海山)
- Shixing Seamount (石星海山)
- Xianbei Seamount (憲北海山)
- Xiannan Seamount (憲南海山)
- Zhangzhong Seamount (漲中海山)
- Zhenbei Seamount (珍貝海山)
To the south, near the Spratly Islands, there are:
- Dreyer Shoal (Zhongnan Ansha, 中南暗沙)
- Zhongnan Seamount (中南海山)
- Longnan Seamount (龍南海山)
- Changlong Seamount (長龍海山)
See also
External links
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Territorial disputes in East, South, and Southeast Asia | |||
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Type | Territory | Currently Administered by | Claimants |
Land: | Aksai Chin | ||
Baekdu Mountain | 2 2 | ||
Heixiazi / Bolshoy Ussuriysky (Eastern part)2 | 2 | ||
Indo-Bangladesh enclaves3 | |||
Kachin State | 2 1 | ||
Kashmir3 | 2 | ||
Kayin State | 1 | ||
Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands3 | |||
Mainland China | 1 | ||
North Borneo (Sabah)2 | |||
Pamir Mountains3 | 2 | ||
Patani | 1 | ||
Shan State | 1 | ||
Sixty-Four Villages East of the River2 | 2 | ||
South Tibet (now Arunachal Pradesh of India) | 2 | ||
Tannu Uriankhai (now Tuva Republic of Russia)2 | 2 | ||
Trans-Karakoram Tract | 2 | ||
Wa State | 1 | ||
Islands and Waters: | Diaoyutai / Senkaku Islands | ||
Kinmen | |||
Kori Creek2 | |||
Liancourt Rocks | 2 | ||
Macclesfield Bank | |||
Matsu | |||
Paracel Islands | |||
Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks, and South Ledge | |||
Pratas Islands | |||
Scarborough Shoal | |||
Socotra Rock | 2 2 | ||
Southern Kuril Islands | |||
Spratly Islands3 | |||
Taiwan and Penghu2 | |||
Notes: | 1Government in exile/exiled group. 2Inactive dispute. 3Divided among multiple claimants. |