Sand Cay Explained

Disputed:yes
Sand Cay
Type:island
Other Names:
Đảo Sơn Ca (Vietnamese)
Bailan Island (Philippine English)
Pulo ng Bailan (Filipino)
敦謙沙洲 / 敦谦沙洲 Dūnqiān Shāzhōu (Chinese)
Pushpin Map:Spratly Islands relief
Location:South China Sea
Coordinates:10.375°N 114.48°W
Archipelago:Spratly Islands
Country Admin Divisions Title:District
Country Admin Divisions:Trường Sa District
Country Admin Divisions Title 2:Commune
Country Admin Divisions 2:Sinh Tồn Commune

Sand Cay, also known as Bailan Island (Filipino; Pilipino: Pulo ng Bailan) and Son Ca Island (Vietnamese: Đảo Sơn Ca; Mandarin), is a cay on the north edge of the Tizard Bank of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. With an area of 7ha, 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).

Sovereignty

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.

Geography

Part of the Tizard Bank,[1] Sand Cay lies east of Itu Aba Island, which is occupied by Taiwan. It is long, wide, and has an elevation of to at low tide.[2] There is a 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

Sand 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. 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.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Digital Gazetter of Spratly Islands . 2008-03-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100827072842/http://southchinasea.org/macand/gazetteer.htm . 2010-08-27 .
  2. Book: 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] . 2011 . Political Department, Naval Command (Vietnam).
  3. News: Kí sự Trường Sa - kì 3: Nơi anh đến là biển xa... . Phạm Thanh Hà; Lưu Phương Mai . Nhân dân online . May 9, 2011 . March 22, 2013.
  4. News: Vietnam carries out 'substantial' expansion in South China Sea, US thinktank finds . The Guardian . December 14, 2022 . July 3, 2023.
  5. News: Sơn Ca Xanh . Nguyễn Đình Quân . Tiền phong online . December 27, 2011 . March 22, 2013.