Area and History

Continent: Asia - Coordinates: 8.38-8.63N 111.55-111.91E, OJ58 - Zones: CQ 26, ITU 50 - IOTA: AS-051 (ex AS-241) - Allocations: 1S, 9M

Geographic Overview
The islands are most likely volcanic in origin, contain almost no significant arable land and have no indigenous inhabitants, although twenty of the islands, including Itu Aba, the largest, are considered to be able to sustain human life. Natural resources include fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential. Economic activity includes commercial fishing, shipping, and tourism. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation of hydrocarbons has yet to be developed. The Spratly Islands have at least three fishing ports, several docks and harbors, at least three heliports, at least four territorial rigging style outposts (especially due west of Namyit), and six to eight airstrips. These islands are strategically located near several primary shipping lanes. Coral reefs are the predominant structure of these islands; the Spratly group contains over 600 coral reefs in total.
Vegetation Little vegetation grows on these islands, which are subject to intense monsoons. Larger islands are capable of supporting tropical forest, scrub forest, coastal scrub and grasses. A few islands which have been developed as small tourist resorts have had soil and trees brought in and planted where there were none.
Wildlife: The islands that do have vegetation provide important habitats for many seabirds and sea turtles. Seabirds use the islands for resting, breeding, and wintering sites. Political instability, tourism and the increasing industrialization of neighboring countries has led to serious disruption of native flora and fauna, over-exploitation of natural resources, and environmental pollution.

History
600-3 BCE: First possible human interaction, based on the theoretical migration patterns of the people of Nanyue (southern China and northern Vietnam) and Old Champa kingdom who may have migrated from Borneo, which may have led them through the Spratly Islands.
Yuan Dynasty / Ming Dynasty / Qing Dynasty: The Chinese explore the territory and map it.
18th century: The Vietnamese government conducts several geographical surveys of the islands. Despite the fact that China and Vietnam both make a claim to these territories simultaneously, at the time, neither side is aware that their neighbor had already charted and made claims to the same stretch of islands
19th century: The islands are sporadically visited by mariners from different European powers , including Richard Spratly, after whom the island group derives its most recognizable English name
1900: Vietnam's Nguyễn Dynasty continues to assert that the state Bac Hai Company had exercised Vietnam's sovereignty in the Spratlys since the 18th century.
1927: The French ship SS De Lanessan conducts a scientific survey of the Spratly Islands
1930: France launches a second expedition with the La Malicieuse, which raises the French flag on an island called Île de la Tempête. Chinese fishermen are present on the island.
1933: Three French ships take control of nine of the largest islands and declare French sovereignty over the archipelago as part of Cochinchina. Japanese companies appliy to the French authority for phosphate mining licences.
1939: The Empire of Japan disputes French sovereignty over the islands, citing that Japan was the first country to discover the islands, and declares its intention to place the island group under its jurisdiction. France and the United Kingdom protest and reasserted French sovereignty claims.
1941: Japan forcibly occupies the island group and remaines in control until the end of World War II, administering the area as part of Taiwan. A submarine base is established on Itu Aba.
1945: After Japan's surrender, the Republic of China claimes the Spratly Islands, sends troops to Itu Aba, and landing forces erect sovereignty markers.
1946: France dispatches warships to the islands several times but make no attempts to evict Chinese forces.
1947: France demands that the Chinese withdraw from the islands, and China withdrews most of its troops.
1951: At the 1951 San Francisco Conference on the Peace Treaty with Japan, the Soviet Union propose that the Spratlys belong to China. This is overhelmingly rejected by the delegates. The delegates from Vietnam, which at that time is a French protectorate, declare sovereignty over the Paracel and the Spratly Islands, which is not opposed by any delegate at the conference. China does not attend the conference and is not a signatory of the treaty.
1956: Tomas Cloma, director of the Maritime Institute of the Philippines, claimes sovereignty over much of the Spratly Islands, naming his territory Kalaya'an ("Freedomland"). The People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, France, South Vietnam, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands all issue protests. The Republic of China and South Vietnam launch naval units to the islands; South Vietnam declared its annexation of the Spratly Islands as part of its Phước Tuy Province.
1958: The People's Republic of China issues a declaration defining its territorial waters which encompasses the Spratly Islands. North sens a formal note, respecting the decision on the 12 nautical mile limit of territorial waters. Both the South Vietnamese government and the communist revolutionary movement in South Vietnam continue to assert that the Spratlys belong to Vietnam.
1961-3: South Vietnam establishes sovereignty markers on several islands in the chain.
1968: The Philippines send troops to three islands on the premise of protecting Kalayaan citizens and announce the annexation of the Kalayaan island group.
1971: Malaysia issues claims to some of the Spratly Islands.
1972: The Philippines incorporate the Kalayaan islands into its Palawan province.
1975: The unified Vietnam declares claims over the Spratly Islands.
1978: A presidential decree from the Philippines outlines territorial claims to the islands.
1979: Malaysia publishes a map of its continental shelf claim, which includes twelve islands from the Spratly group. Vietnam publishes a white paper outlining its claims to the islands and disputing those of the other claimants.
1982: Vietnam publishes another white paper, occupies several of the islands and constructe military installations. The Philippines also occupy several more islands and construct an air strip.
1983: Malaysia occupies Swallow Reef (Layang Layang), and later builds a naval base and resort at this location.
1984: Brunei establishes an exclusive fishing zone encompassing the Louisa Reef and neighboring areas in the southeastern Spratly Islands.
1987: The People's Republic of China establishes a permanent base.
1988: PRC warships prevail over Vietnamese vessels and win control over some Spratly reefs for the first time in the dispute.
1995: The Philippine government reveales Chinese military structures being built at the Mischief Reefs. The incident leads to numerous arrests of Chinese fishermen and naval clashes with Chinese pirate vessels.
2008: Taiwan's President is the first head of state from the claimant countries to visit Spratly.
2009: The Office of the Philippine President enacts the Philippine Baselines Law , classifiying the Kalayaan Island Group and the Scarborough Shoal as a "regime of islands under the Republic of the Philippines." A joint submission by Malaysia and Vietnam claims jurisdiction over their respective continental shelves out to 200 nautical miles. A lone submission by Vietnam claims jurisdiction over an extended shelf area. The People's Republic of China and the Philippines both protest the moves stating that they violate agreements made with regards to the islands.

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