The Paracel Islands, also known as the Xisha Islands and the Hoàng Sa Archipelago, are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. The word paracel is of Portuguese origin, and appears on 16th-century Portuguese maps. The archipelago includes abo…The Paracel Islands, also known as the Xisha Islands and the Hoàng Sa Archipelago, are a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. The word paracel is of Portuguese origin, and appears on 16th-century Portuguese maps. The archipelago includes about 130 small coral islands and reefs, most grouped into the northeastern Amphitrite Group or the western Crescent Group. They are distributed over a maritime area of around 15,000 square kilometers, with a land area of approximately 7.75 square kilometers. The archipelago is located about 220 miles southeast of Hainan Island, equidistant from the coastlines of the People's Republic of China and Vietnam, and approximately one-third of the way between central Vietnam and the northern Philippines. A unique feature of the Paracel Islands is Dragon Hole, the deepest underwater sinkhole in the world. Sea turtles and seabirds are native to the islands, which have a hot and humid climate, abundant rainfall and may experience annual typhoons. The archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and a seabed containing potential, but still unexplored, oil and gas reserves.
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