Paracel Islands

Geography

• Geographic coordinates:
• Coastline:
• Climate: tropical
• Elevation extremes:
• * Lowest point: South China Sea, sea level
• * Highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island
• Natural resources: fish, coral reefs, possible reserves of oil and gas of unknown size
• Natural hazards: typhoons

  Climate

Amphitrite group

Crescent group

Other features

Southeast

• Bombay Reef: This elongated reef is situated at the southeastern corner of the Paracel Islands and lies approximately southeast of the Crescent group. With most parts submerged, the reef measures approximately . Bombay Reef encloses a deep lagoon with rocks on its edge.

  Eastern sub-group

• Bremen Bank: Located north of Bombay Reef, is the southwesternmost feature of this subgroup. This submerged shallow bank measures approximately in length from northeast to southwest. The shallowest area reaches a depth of about and is located in the southwestern part of the bank.
• Jehangire Bank: East of the Bremen Bank at
• Neptuna Bank: North of the Bremen Bank at
• Pyramid Rock: NE of the Neptuna Bank at
• Lincoln Island: Surrounded by a coral reef, located southeast from the Amphitrite Group at, the island is covered with brushes and fairly high trees, including coconut palm trees. The depth increases sharply on the northern and eastern sides of the island but the southern and south western regions are shallow. An observation post on the western side was found by officers of the German government surveys in 1883. In 1948, Great Britain requested France for permission to use the feature for military exercises.

  Northeast

• Dido Bank: Separate from, and NE of, the Eastern sub-group at

  (ENE: Amphitrite group)

Northwest

• North Reef: Situated approximately north from the Crescent group and about west-northwest from the Amphitrite group at, the reef is the most northwesterly feature of the Paracel Islands. Most parts of the reef are submerged. There are rugged rocks are around the edge that are barely above water. There is a passage into the lagoon on the southwestern side of the reef.

  (West: Crescent group)

Inner southwest

• Discovery Reef: Measuring approximately in length from east to west, and from north to south, the reef is located about south of the Crescent Group at. Completely submerged, the elongated ring structure is the largest single reef in the Paracel Islands. The reef has two large, deep openings into the lagoon on its southern side.
• Passu Keah: This small reef encloses a shallow lagoon and is located about south of the eastern side of Discovery Reef at, approximately east-northeast from Triton Island. The sand cay measures in length.

  Outer southwest

• Triton Island: The sand cay supports vegetation and stands on a steep-sided coral reef measuring in length. This southwesternmost island of the Paracels is situated about from Discovery Reef at.

  Central

• Vuladdore Reef: Located slightly south of the center of the group at, this mostly submerged reef is orientated east–west and measures approximately by. Some small spiral rocks are to be seen on the reef.

  List of entities