Paracel Islands

Not to be confused with Paracelis, a town in Mountain Province, Philippines

The Paracel Islands (Vietnamese: Quần Đảo Hoàng Sa, Cantonese: 西沙群島 Sai Sa Kwân Dóh) is a condominium in the South China Sea. It is under joint sovreignty of Hainam and Vietnam.

The islands are located 250km east of mainland Vietnam and 265km southeast of Hainam. The islands receive regular shipments from Đà Nẵng and Samah.

The islands have a population of exactly 1600 people, of which, 62% are Vietnamese, 36% are Hainamese, and 2% are other. The islands are jointly administered by Đà Nẵng Municipality under Vietnam and the Paracel Islands Authority under Hainam. During Hainamese elections, local Hainamese are represented through the seat of Samah.

History
The islands were formerly administered by the French under French Indonchina, and shared with the British who controlled Hailam.

In 1954 the French abandoned their Indochinese colonies, and the British, who already had a presence in the Paracel Islands, took over the power vacuum, although the Vietnamese claim still persisted.

During the Vietnam War and the split of Vietnam, the islands were determimed to be under the control of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) who established a presence on the island. In 1976 the newly unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam took over the islands.

Tensions with the now local Hailamese residents rose during this time, so in 1987 Vietnam and Hailam signed a co-operation treaty to mutually administer the islands.

List of Islands
The Paracel Islands are made up of 2 island groupings, which are divided into 2 districts each.


 * Amphitrite Islands - pop. 1084
 * Amphitrite District - pop. 696
 * Lincoln Island District - pop. 388
 * Crescent Islands - pop. 516
 * Crescent Islands District - pop. 189
 * Triton Island District - pop. 327

{| class="wikitable" !English Name !Vietnamese Name !Cantonese Name !Population !colspan=4|Amphitrite Islands !colspan=4|Crescent Islands
 * Woody Island
 * Đảo Phu Lâm
 * 永興島 (Wing Hing Dou)
 * 628
 * Tree Island
 * Đảo Cây
 * 趙述島 (Jiu Seut Dou)
 * 68
 * Lincoln Island
 * Đảo Linh Côn
 * 東島 (Dung Dou)
 * 388
 * Đảo Linh Côn
 * 東島 (Dung Dou)
 * 388
 * Pattle Island
 * Đảo Hoàng Sa
 * 珊瑚島 (San Wu Dou)
 * 18
 * Robert Island
 * Đảo Hữu Nhật
 * 甘泉島 (Gam Chun Dou)
 * 0
 * Money Island
 * Đảo Quang Ảnh
 * 金銀島 (Gam Ngan Dou)
 * 18
 * Drummond Island
 * Đảo Duy Mộng
 * 晉卿島 (Jeun Hing Dou)
 * 0
 * Duncan Island
 * Đảo Quang Hòa
 * 琛航島 (Sam Hong Dou)
 * 153
 * Triton Island
 * Đảo Tri Tôn
 * 中建島 (Jong Gin Dou)
 * 327
 * 153
 * Triton Island
 * Đảo Tri Tôn
 * 中建島 (Jong Gin Dou)
 * 327
 * 327