South China Sea (South China Sea)
The attraction is related to the countries:
Vietnam
, Brunei
, Indonesia
, China
, Hong Kong
, Philippines
South China Sea is a semi-enclosed sea off the coasts of Southeast
Asia, between the Indochina Peninsula, the islands of Kalimantan, Palawan, Luzon,
and Taiwan. It is part of the sea basins of the Australasian Mediterranean Sea, between
the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
General information
The area of the South China Sea is 3,537 thousand sq. km, the maximum depth is
5560 m. The surface water temperature in February ranges from 20 °C in the north
to 27 °C in the south, in August it reaches 28-29 °C across the entire area. Water
salinity is 32-34 ‰. Typhoons are common in summer and autumn. The tides are irregular,
diurnal and semi-diurnal, up to 4 m.
Ships traveling from the ports of China, Japan, and Russia to the Strait of Singapore
and vice versa in the South China Sea adhere to the so-called Main Sea Route. This
route is the shortest and safest and is used by vessels.”
The islands lying on the sides of the Main Sea Route have different structures.
The Paracel Islands (Sisha) and the Spratly Islands (Nansha) are low-lying, composed
of coral sand, and covered with low-growing vegetation. Between them are many coral
reefs, shoals, and submarine atolls. Especially many reefs are among the Nansha islands,
most of which have not been extensively explored.
The seabed at great depths is silt and sand, and near the islands and reefs –
coral. In the southern part of the route, silt, sand, and shell prevail, on the banks
– coral, and rocky soil is found along the coasts of rocky islands. The main factor
affecting navigation along the Main Sea Route is monsoons. Typhoons pose a major
threat when sailing the South China Sea. Therefore, the paths of typhoons, as well
as the signs of their approach, must be well known to sailors. Drift currents are
formed in the South China Sea under the influence of monsoons.
The largest bays of the South China Sea are Bac Bo (Tonkin) and Siamese.
The major island is Hainan.
The sea is rich in biological resources. Commercial fish include tuna, herring, sardines, and others.
