U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent
Statistics and Analysis South China Sea The South China Sea is a
critical world trade route and a potential source of
hydrocarbons, particularly natural gas, with competing claims of
ownership over the sea and its resources. Stretching from
Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the southwest to the
Strait of Taiwan in the northeast, the South China Sea is one of
the most important trade routes in the world. The sea is rich in
resources and holds significant strategic and political
importance. The area includes several hundred small islands,
rocks, and reefs, with the majority located in the Paracel and
Spratly Island chains. Many of these islands are partially
submerged land masses unsuitable for habitation and are little
more than shipping hazards. For example, the total land area of
the Spratly Islands encompasses less than 3 square miles.
Several of the countries bordering the sea declare ownership of
the islands to claim the surrounding sea and i