South China Sea Islands

The South China Sea is home to three territories, which all experience tropical weather conditions. Macao, which is a territory of Portugal, is located at the opening of the Pearl River. Macao is a major exporter of finished goods, including trinkets and toys. The Parcel Islands are located about 250 miles to the east of Vietnam and are occupied by the Chinese. The Paracel Islands experience frequent typhoons. Also located in the South China Sea are the Spratly Islands, made up of reefs and atolls. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines each claim all or portions of these islands. The islands are very desirable because of their close proximity to shipping lanes, and they are believed to hold some of the biggest oil and gas deposits in the world.