Spratly Island

One of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea

For the island chain, see Spratly Islands.

Spratly IslandDisputed island

Spratly Island

Spratly Island

Other names| Storm Island
Big Trường Sa (Vietnamese English)
Đảo Trường Sa [Lớn] (Vietnamese)
南威島/南威岛 Nánwēi Dǎo (Mandarin Chinese)
Lagos Island (Philippine English)
Pulo ng Lagos (Filipino)
Geography
Location| South China Sea
Coordinates| 8°38′41″N 111°55′12″E﻿ / ﻿8.64472°N 111.92000°E﻿ / 8.64472; 111.92000﻿ (Spratly Island)
Archipelago| Spratly Islands
Administration

Vietnam

District| Trường Sa District, Khánh Hòa
Township| Trường Sa Township
Claimed by

China

Taiwan

Vietnam

Demographics
Population| 30

Spratly Island (Vietnamese: Đảo Trường Sa or Đảo Trường Sa Lớn, lit. 'the Big Spratly (Trường Sa) Island'; simplified Chinese: 南威岛; traditional Chinese: 南威島; pinyin: Nánwēi Dǎo; Filipino: Pulo ng Lagos, lit. 'Lagos Island'), also known as Storm Island, is the fourth largest of the naturally occurring[1] Spratly Islands in the South China Sea with an area of 15 hectares (37 acres),[2] and the largest of the Vietnamese-administered Spratly islands.[3][4]

In 2016 the Vietnamese embarked on a land reclamation program at ten locations in the Spratly Islands.[5] At Spratly Island 37 acres have been reclaimed, which has allowed for the addition of a harbour[6] and the doubling of the length of the island's runway to a length of about 4,000 feet (1,200 m).[7]

Flag of the Vietnamese military forces stationing in the Spratly Island.

It is also claimed by China (PRC) and Taiwan (ROC).

## Location

[edit]

Spratly island lies west of the SW of Dangerous Ground in the western half of the Spratly Islands. It is neighboured by Ladd Reef to the west, the London Reefs to the east, and others.[8]

## History in the 20th century

[edit]

In April 1930, France sent the dispatch boat (aviso), la Malicieuse, to the archipelago and raised the flag of France on a high mound on Spratly Island, also known as île de la Tempête.[9] According to an official announcement by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France occupied Spratly Island on April 13, 1930.[10]

On 21 December 1933, the Governor of Cochinchina, Jean-Félix Krautheimer, signed Decree No. 4702-CP merging Spratly Island, Amboyna Cay, Itu Aba Island, Northeast Cay, Southwest Cay, Loaita Island, Thitu Island and other dependent islands with Ba Ria province (present-day Vietnam's Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province).[11]

In April 1939 Japan occupied the island provoking protests from the French.[12] The Japanese also laid claim to 1000 square miles of the South China sea between 7 and 12 degrees north and 111 to 112 degrees east.[13] During the occupation of the island by the Imperial Japanese Navy at the time of the Pacific War, the island was known by the Japanese as Nishitori jima (西鳥島, lit. "Western bird island").

After World War II, the Republic of China Navy sent a fleet of vessels to the South China Sea to take over the occupation of islands from Japan. In 1946, the Republic of China government announced the sovereignty of this island, set a milestone, and named it "Nanwei Island". (Nanwei is the name of the Chairman of Guangdong Province in China in 1946 – Chinese: 南威島).[14]

During the early 1960s, the Republic of Vietnam Navy stopped off at the island several times. In 1963, three ships (HQ-404 Huong Giang, HQ-01 Chi Lang and HQ-09 Ki Hoa) visited and systematically rebuilt steles on a number of islands in the archipelago. On May 19, 1963, they built one on Spratly Island.[15] However, the war on the mainland led to the absence of Vietnamese troops on the island until 1974 when South Vietnam set up a permanent garrison there after the Crescent Group of the Paracel Islands was lost to China. On April 29, 1975, the Vietnam People's Army evicted South Vietnam's troops and occupied the island.

## Administration

[edit]

Welcome gate to Truong Sa township. Children playing on Spratly Island's beach

Under the South Vietnamese regime, Spratly Island was placed under the administration of Khánh Hòa province. In 2007, the Vietnamese government upgraded the island's status to a commune-level town which is in charge of administering all nearby Vietnamese-controlled features such as Amboyna Cay and Barque Canada Reef.[16] On the island lies Trường Sa District's administrative center.

## Geography

[edit]

Spratly Island is shaped like an isosceles triangle. According to a document published by the Political Department of Vietnam's Navy Command, the island is 630 metres (2,070 ft) in length, up to 300 metres (980 ft) in width and has an area of 0.15 square kilometres (37 acres)[2] while several foreign documents often use a slightly smaller number of 0.13 square kilometres (32 acres).[17] It is 3.4 to 5 metres above sea level during low tide. The island has a variety of vegetation with a source of brackish water which can be utilized for bathing, washing and watering plants.[2] The fringing reefs that lie at all three corners are up to 200 metres (660 ft) wide and uncovered at low tide.[17]

### Climate

[edit]

Spratly Island has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am). With the typical meteorological characteristics of an archipelago, the Spratly Islands have a cool summer and a warm winter. The dry season, spanning from February to May, is characterized by a higher temperature from 4:30 AM to 19:00 PM. May–January is the time of the rainy season, when temperatures are lower during daytime, but thunderstorms are more likely to occur.[2]

Climate data for Spratly Islands

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 31.7
(89.1)  | 31.3
(88.3)  | 32.7
(90.9)  | 34.5
(94.1)  | 34.1
(93.4)  | 34.5
(94.1)  | 32.9
(91.2)  | 34.0
(93.2)  | 33.4
(92.1)  | 33.0
(91.4)  | 32.2
(90.0)  | 31.0
(87.8)  | 34.5
(94.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 27.6
(81.7)  | 28.4
(83.1)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 31.2
(88.2)  | 31.6
(88.9)  | 30.5
(86.9)  | 30.0
(86.0)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 29.2
(84.6)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 29.7
(85.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 26.4
(79.5)  | 26.7
(80.1)  | 27.8
(82.0)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 29.3
(84.7)  | 28.7
(83.7)  | 28.2
(82.8)  | 28.1
(82.6)  | 28.1
(82.6)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 27.6
(81.7)  | 26.7
(80.1)  | 27.9
(82.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 25.5
(77.9)  | 26.3
(79.3)  | 27.2
(81.0)  | 27.5
(81.5)  | 26.5
(79.7)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 25.7
(78.3)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 26.1
(79.0)
Record low °C (°F)  | 22.1
(71.8)  | 21.5
(70.7)  | 21.4
(70.5)  | 23.1
(73.6)  | 21.2
(70.2)  | 22.9
(73.2)  | 21.9
(71.4)  | 22.2
(72.0)  | 21.9
(71.4)  | 22.6
(72.7)  | 22.0
(71.6)  | 21.7
(71.1)  | 21.2
(70.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 117
(4.6)  | 68
(2.7)  | 43
(1.7)  | 51
(2.0)  | 109
(4.3)  | 238
(9.4)  | 237
(9.3)  | 236
(9.3)  | 247
(9.7)  | 285
(11.2)  | 409
(16.1)  | 373
(14.7)  | 2,412
(95.0)
Average precipitation days  | 15.9  | 9.9  | 6.3  | 7.3  | 12.5  | 17.3  | 18.5  | 19.4  | 17.7  | 20.5  | 23.2  | 22.7  | 191.1
Average relative humidity (%)  | 85.7  | 84.4  | 81.4  | 78.5  | 78.6  | 81.1  | 82.0  | 83.0  | 82.7  | 82.0  | 84.5  | 86.5  | 82.5
Source: Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology[18]

## Ecology

[edit]

The island's plants are mostly Barringtonia asiatica, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Heliotropium foertherianum, and some kinds of bush and grass which grow poorly due to the harsh climate.[2] Spratly Island is home to some birds and has guano deposits. Islanders try to cultivate banana, papaya, chili pepper and a variety of vegetables and herbs. There are also hundreds of dogs and much poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese.[19]

## Facilities

[edit]

### Trường Sa Airport

[edit]

Trường Sa Airport

* IATA: none
* ICAO: none

Summary
Airport type| Military
Operator| Vietnam
Location| Spratly Island
Map

Trường Sa Airport

Runways
| Direction | Length  | Surface

|
|

m  | ft
04/22  | 1,200  | 3,937  | Concrete

The original runway was built in 1976–77. From 2004, the configurations included a 600 metres (2,000 ft) landing strip that could accommodate small fixed-wing propeller aircraft (PZL M28 Skytruck, de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter).[20] Aircraft were parked on a small tarmac area next to the runway which runs the entire length of the island, with both ends ending on beachfront. Homes surround the two sides of the runway and a small two-story building with a control tower on the roof is located by the apron.

Since 2016, photos and reports were published showing extensive land-reclamation and construction work at Spratly Island, with new harbours and extension of the runway to at least 1,200 metres (3,900 ft).[21][6] The island also has a helicopter pad.

### Other facilities

[edit]

The sovereignty marker of Spratly Island

Built in 1977, the meteorological station on Spratly Island has station index number 48920 as assigned by the World Meteorological Organization.

Vietnam Military Telecommunications Corp., known commonly as Viettel, established mobile coverage in the Spratlys Island in 2007 to assert sovereignty and allow soldiers to speak with their families back home.[22]

Energy is provided by solar panels and wind turbines. Additional facilities included a small jetty with two piers, a clinic, a cultural house, a radio tower and a Buddhist pagoda. A primary school has been in operation since April 2013.[23] There is a 5.5 m-high obelisk at the southern tip.

## See also

[edit]

* Spratly Islands dispute
* Richard Spratly
* Dongsha Island Airport (Pratas Island)
* Yongxing Island Airport (Woody Island in the Paracel Islands)
* List of airports in the Spratly Islands
* List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands
* Taiping Island Airport
* Layang-Layang Airport

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Commencing in 2013, the PRC embarked on a number of reclamation projects in the Spratly Islands. Kristine Kwok & Minnie Chan (2014-06-08). "China plans artificial island in disputed Spratlys chain in South China Sea". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
By late 2016 this had involved seven sites with a total area of 5 sq mi. China reclamations, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
2. ^ a b c d e (in Vietnamese)Những điều cần biết về hai quần đảo Hoàng Sa, Trường Sa và khu vực thềm lục địa phía nam [What you need to know about Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and southern continental shelf]. Political Department, Naval Command (Vietnam). 2011.
3. ^ In terms of natural area. Vietnam is reportedly having large reclamation project across its Spratly outpost that the Spratly Island is losing its position as the largest Vietnamese outpost in the archipelago.
4. ^ The island is not claimed by the Philippines; it lies outside of the Philippines Kalayaan Islands claim. "Presidential Decree No. 1596 (Philippines)" (PDF). Retrieved 8 August 2012.
5. ^ Vietnam reclamations, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
6. ^ a b Spratly Island, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
7. ^ Vietnam responds with Spratly air upgrades, 1 December 2016, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.
8. ^ Sta Ana, D.J. (25 May 2011). "Vietnam also has garrisons in PH zone of Spratlys". Interaksyon. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
9. ^ "White Paper on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands (1975) [part 1, split by uploading site]". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Vietnam). Retrieved January 31, 2013.
10. ^ (in Vietnamese) Tran, Dang Dai (1975). "Các văn kiện chính thức xác nhận chủ quyền Việt Nam trên hai quần đảo Hoàng Sa và Trường Sa từ thời Pháp thuộc tới nay". Tập san Sử Địa [Journal of History and Geography]. 29. Saigon: Văn Hữu Printing-house.
11. ^ "Truong Sa archipelago belongs to Ba Ria province (1933)". Website on Viet Nam's sovereign boundaries. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
12. ^ Spratly Island, Evening Star, New Zealand, 3 April 1939 Page 11
13. ^ Islands Annexed, Evening Post, Wellington, New Zealand, 19 April 1939, Page 9
14. ^ "1946年林遵亲率中国海军收复南沙诸岛始末-战争故事_战争故事". Archived from the original on 2015-05-28. Retrieved 2015-05-28.
15. ^ "White Paper on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands (1975) [part 2, split by uploading site]". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Republic of Vietnam). Retrieved January 31, 2013.
16. ^ (in Vietnamese) "Nghị định số 65/2007/NĐ-CP ngày 11 tháng 04 năm 2007 (...)". Ministry of Justice's Portal (Vietnam). Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
17. ^ a b Hancox, David; Prescott, Victor (1995). A Geographical Description of the Spratly Islands and an Account of Hydrographic Surveys amongst Those Islands. Maritime Briefings. Vol. 1\. University of Durham, International Boundaries Research Unit. p. 14\. ISBN 978-1897643181.
18. ^ "Vietnam Building Code Natural Physical & Climatic Data for Construction" (PDF) (in Vietnamese). Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
19. ^ (in Vietnamese)Đỗ Sơn (June 7, 2011). "Nhật ký Trường Sa - Kì 2 [Truong Sa Diary - Part 2]". Tiền phong online. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
20. ^ http://soha.vn/quan-su/may-bay-van-tai-c-295m-cua-vn-co-the-ha-canh-o-san-bay-truong-sa-20150511140210163.htm (Vietnamese)
21. ^ "Vietnam Responds with Spratly Air Upgrades". Center for Strategic and International Studies. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
22. ^ "Vietnam Protests China Mobile Move to Disputed Islands, VNA Says". 20 May 2011.
23. ^ Trần Công Thi (2013-04-21). "Khánh thành Trường Tiểu học Trường Sa". Báo Khánh Hoà. Retrieved 2013-04-23.

## External links

[edit]

* Maritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker

* v
* t
* e

Spratly Islands

Confrontations|

* Southwest Cay incident (1975)
* East Sea Campaign (1975)
* Johnson South Reef Skirmish (1988)

Regions|

* Dangerous Ground
* Loaita Bank
* London Reefs
* North Danger Reef
* Reed Tablemount
* Tizard Bank
* Union Banks

Occupied features|

|  Brunei|

* Louisa Reef

|

China|

* Cuarteron Reef
* Fiery Cross Reef
* Gaven Reefs
* Hughes Reef
* Johnson South Reef
* Mischief Reef
* Subi Reef

Malaysia|

* Ardasier Reef
* Dallas Reef
* Erica Reef
* Investigator Shoal
* Mariveles Reef
* Swallow Reef

Philippines|

* Commodore Reef
* Flat Island
* Irving Reef
* Lankiam Cay
* Loaita Cay
* Loaita Island
* Nanshan Island
* Northeast Cay
* Second Thomas Shoal
* Thitu Island
* West York Island

Taiwan|

* Taiping Island
* Zhongzhou Reef

Vietnam|

* Alison Reef
* Amboyna Cay
* Barque Canada Reef
* Bombay Castle
* Central London Reef
* Collins Reef
* Cornwallis South Reef
* Discovery Great Reef
* East London Reef
* Grierson Reef
* Ladd Reef
* Lansdowne Reef
* Namyit Island
* Pearson Reef
* Petley Reef
* Sand Cay
* Sin Cowe Island
* South Reef
* Southwest Cay
* Spratly Island
* Tennent Reef
* West London Reef

Unoccupied features|

* First Thomas Shoal
* Half Moon Shoal
* Luconia Shoals
* Northeast Investigator Shoal
* Royal Captain Shoal
* Sabina Shoal
* Third Thomas Shoal
* Western Reef
* Whitsun Reef

Related articles|

* Spratly Islands dispute
* Free Territory of Freedomland
* "Great Wall of Sand"
* List of airports in the Spratly Islands
* List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands
* Philippines and the Spratly Islands
* Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads
* Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
* Nine-dash line

* v
* t
* e

South China Sea

Pratas Island|

* Pratas Island
* North Vereker Bank
* South Vereker Bank

Paracel Islands|

| Amphitrite Group|

* Rocky Island
* Tree Island
* West Sand
* Woody Island
* Qilian Yu

|

Crescent Group|

* Money Island
* Robert Island
* Yagong Island

Other features|

* Bombay Reef
* Triton Island

Northeastern SCS|

* Zhongsha Islands
* Macclesfield Bank
* Walker Shoal
* Scarborough Shoal

Spratly Islands|

* List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands
* Great Wall of Sand
* Royal Malaysian Navy Offshore Bases
* Vietnamese DK1 rigs
* List of airports in the Spratly Islands

| Dangerous
Ground|

| NW|

* North Danger Reef
* Northeast Cay
* Southwest Cay
* Thitu Reefs
* Thitu Island
* Subi Reef
* Loaita Bank
* Lankiam Cay
* Loaita Cay
* Loaita Island
* Tizard Bank
* Gaven Reefs
* Namyit Island
* Sand Cay
* Taiping Island
* Zhongzhou Reef
* NNW
* Irving Reef
* West York Island
* WNW
* Western Reef

|

NE|

* Flat Island
* Nanshan Island
* Reed Tablemount
* Third Thomas Shoal

SE|

* Commodore Reef
* First Thomas Shoal
* Mischief Reef
* Sabina Shoal
* Second Thomas Shoal

SW|

* Union Banks
* Collins Reef
* Hughes Reef
* Johnson South Reef
* Sin Cowe Island
* Ardasier Reef
* Cornwallis South Reef
* Dallas Reef
* Erica Reef
* Investigator Shoal
* Mariveles Reef

West|

* London Reefs
* Central London Reef
* Cuarteron Reef
* East London Reef
* West London Reef
* Bombay Castle
* Fiery Cross Reef
* Ladd Reef
* Spratly Island

East|

* Royal Captain Shoal
* Half Moon Shoal

South|

* Amboyna Cay
* Louisa Reef
* Swallow Reef

Southeastern SCS|

* Palawan Passage

Southern SCS|

* James Shoal
* Luconia Shoals

Tudjuh Archipelago|

* Natuna Islands
* Anambas Islands
* Badas Islands
* Tambelan Archipelago

History|

* Territorial disputes
* History of the Spratly Islands
* Nine-dash line
* Spratly Islands dispute
* Philippines and the Spratly Islands
* Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944)
* Battle of the Paracel Islands (1974)
* Southwest Cay incident (1975)
* Johnson South Reef skirmish (1988)
* Scarborough Shoal standoff (2012)
* Designation of the West Philippine Sea (2012)
* Hai Yang Shi You 981 standoff (2014)

Transport|

* Ships
* Coconut Princess
* Airports
* Pratas Is
* Paracel Islands Airports
* Woody Is
* Spratly Islands Airports
* Itu Aba
* Spratly Is
* Swallow Reef
* Thitu Is

* Oceans portal

Authority control databases |

* NARA

|

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