The island has been occupied by Vietnam since 1974, (first by South Vietnam, then by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after 1975). However, no Vietnamese stations have been built. By the later half of the 20th century, no nation had complete sovereignty on the islands.
Geographyedit
Part of the Tizard Bank,[1] Sand Cay lies 6.2 nautical miles (11.5 km; 7.1 mi) east of Itu Aba Island, which is occupied by Taiwan. It is 450 metres (1,480 ft) long, 102 metres (335 ft) wide, and has an elevation of 3.5 metres (11 ft) to 3.8 metres (12 ft) at low tide.[2] There is a 41 metres (135 ft) high light house on the islet.[3] Sand Cay is commonly confused with Sandy Cay which is a sandy shoal (coral reef) near Thitu Island.
In 2022, news reports indicated that the Vietnamese government was engaged in dredging and landfill operations to expand the size of Sand Cay, Namyit Island, and Pearson Reef. The total area of the land reclaimed in these operations was estimated to be 170 hectares (420 acres). [4]
^. Archived from the original on 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
^ abc(in Vietnamese)Những điều cần biết về hai quần đảo Hoàng Sa, Trường Sa và khu vực thềm lục địa phía nam [What you need to know about Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and southern continental shelf]. Political Department, Naval Command (Vietnam). 2011.
^(in Vietnamese)Phạm Thanh Hà; Lưu Phương Mai (May 9, 2011). "Kí sự Trường Sa - kì 3: Nơi anh đến là biển xa..." Nhân dân online. Retrieved March 22, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Vietnam carries out 'substantial' expansion in South China Sea, US thinktank finds". The Guardian. December 14, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
^(in Vietnamese) Nguyễn Đình Quân (December 27, 2011). "Sơn Ca Xanh". Tiền phong online. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
External linksedit
Maritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker
January 01, 1970
sand, 37500, 48000, 37500, 48000, also, known, bailan, island, filipino, pulo, bailan, island, vietnamese, Đảo, sơn, mandarin, chinese, 敦謙沙洲, 敦谦沙洲, pinyin, dūnqiān, shāzhōu, north, edge, tizard, bank, spratly, islands, south, china, with, area, hectares, acres. Sand Cay 10 22 30 N 114 28 48 E 10 37500 N 114 48000 E 10 37500 114 48000 also known as Bailan Island Filipino Pulo ng Bailan Son Ca Island Vietnamese Đảo Sơn Ca Mandarin Chinese 敦謙沙洲 敦谦沙洲 pinyin Dunqian Shazhōu is a cay on the north edge of the Tizard Bank of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea With an area of 7 hectares 17 acres it is the ninth largest and the fourth largest former Vietnamese administered of the Spratly Islands The island has been occupied by Vietnam since 1974 first by South Vietnam then by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after 1975 It is also claimed by China PRC the Philippines Vietnam and Taiwan ROC Sand CayDisputed islandSand CaySand CayOther namesĐảo Sơn Ca Vietnamese Bailan Island Philippine English Pulo ng Bailan Filipino 敦謙沙洲 敦谦沙洲 Dunqian Shazhōu Chinese GeographyLocationSouth China SeaCoordinates10 22 30 N 114 28 48 E 10 375 N 114 480 E 10 375 114 480ArchipelagoSpratly IslandsAdministration VietnamDistrictTrường Sa DistrictCommuneSinh Tồn CommuneClaimed by China Philippines Taiwan Vietnam From right to left Sand Cay Zhongzhou Ban Than Reef and Taiping Island Contents 1 Sovereignty 2 Geography 3 Ecology 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksSovereignty editThe island has been occupied by Vietnam since 1974 first by South Vietnam then by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after 1975 However no Vietnamese stations have been built By the later half of the 20th century no nation had complete sovereignty on the islands Geography editPart of the Tizard Bank 1 Sand Cay lies 6 2 nautical miles 11 5 km 7 1 mi east of Itu Aba Island which is occupied by Taiwan It is 450 metres 1 480 ft long 102 metres 335 ft wide and has an elevation of 3 5 metres 11 ft to 3 8 metres 12 ft at low tide 2 There is a 41 metres 135 ft high light house on the islet 3 Sand Cay is commonly confused with Sandy Cay which is a sandy shoal coral reef near Thitu Island In 2022 news reports indicated that the Vietnamese government was engaged in dredging and landfill operations to expand the size of Sand Cay Namyit Island and Pearson Reef The total area of the land reclaimed in these operations was estimated to be 170 hectares 420 acres 4 Ecology editSand Cay has no source of natural fresh water but the islet s coral sand is covered with a thin layer of fertile humus mixing with guano The vegetation mainly composes of Barringtonia asiatica Ipomoea pes caprae and Casuarinaceae s species as well as some kinds of grass 2 In recent years islanders have cultivated fruit trees such as pomelo jackfruit dragonfruit sugar apple and guava 5 Sand Cay is usually visited by seabirds and its surrounding water is rich with fish sea snails and sea cucumbers 2 See also editGreat Wall of Sand List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands Spratly Islands dispute Truong Sa DistrictReferences edit Digital Gazetter of Spratly Islands Archived from the original on 2010 08 27 Retrieved 2008 03 22 a b c in Vietnamese Những điều cần biết về hai quần đảo Hoang Sa Trường Sa va khu vực thềm lục địa phia nam What you need to know about Paracel Islands Spratly Islands and southern continental shelf Political Department Naval Command Vietnam 2011 in Vietnamese Phạm Thanh Ha Lưu Phương Mai May 9 2011 Ki sự Trường Sa ki 3 Nơi anh đến la biển xa Nhan dan online Retrieved March 22 2013 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Vietnam carries out substantial expansion in South China Sea US thinktank finds The Guardian December 14 2022 Retrieved July 3 2023 in Vietnamese Nguyễn Đinh Quan December 27 2011 Sơn Ca Xanh Tiền phong online Retrieved March 22 2013 External links editMaritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sand Cay amp oldid 1220411421, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
