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Macclesfield Bank, also called Zhongsha Islands (Chinese: 中沙群島; pinyin: Zhōng​shā ​Qúndǎo; lit. 'Central Sands Islands'​), is an elongated sunken atoll of underwater reefs and shoals in the South China Sea and part of the disputed South China Sea Islands, centred around 16°00′N 114°30′E / 16.000°N 114.500°E / 16.000; 114.500 (South China Sea Islands centre), 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 km (2,490 sq mi) within the outer rim of the reef, 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 metres. In general, the central lagoon is very deep, with depths up to 100 metres.

Macclesfield Bank is claimed, in whole or in part, by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), 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.

Geography

The elongated atoll consists of:

The definition of Zhongsha Islands

The PRC's term Zhongsha Islands 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 (Nanyan Dao 南巖島 or Huangyan Dao 黃岩島; 15°11′N 117°46′E / 15.183°N 117.767°E / 15.183; 117.767 (Scarborough Shoal))
• Truro Shoal (Sianfa Ansha or Shianfa Ansha 特魯暗沙; 16°20′N 116°44′E / 16.333°N 116.733°E / 16.333; 116.733 (Truro Shoal))

Far to the north are:

• Helen Shoal (Itung Ansha or Yitong Ansha 一統暗沙; 19°12′N 113°53′E / 19.200°N 113.883°E / 19.200; 113.883 (Helen Shoal)) - It is a few kilometers south of Hong Kong.
• Stewart Shoal (Ssu-ti-wa-erh-t'e Ansha 管事暗灘; 17°20′N 118°50′E / 17.333°N 118.833°E / 17.333; 118.833 (Stewart Shoal))
• 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, 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

• Sansha
• South China Sea
• South China Sea Islands

References

1. 民政部关于国务院批准设立地级三沙市的公告-中华人民共和国民政部
2. ^ ftp://rock.geosociety.org/pub/reposit/2001/2001075.pdf
3. ^ "Vietnam Law on Contested Islands Draws China's Ire". The New York Times. June 21, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
4. "Taiwan renews sovereignty claim over South China Sea islands". Focus Taiwan. May 5, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
5. ^ "Limits in the Seas - No. 127 Taiwan's Maritime Claims" (PDF). United States Department of State. November 15, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2012.

External links

• ROC's page
• Nautical Information
• Taiwanese List
• Chinese page with coordinates

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