South China Sea

The attraction is related to the countries:VietnamBruneiIndonesiaChinaChina , Hong KongPhilippines

The South China Sea is a semi-enclosed sea off the coast of Southeast Asia, between the Indochina Peninsula, the islands of Kalimantan, Palawan, Luzon, and Taiwan. It is part of the Australo-Asian Mediterranean Sea marine basins, between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

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General Information

The area of the South China Sea – 3537 thousand km², maximum depth – 5560 m, Water temperature at the surface in February from 20 ° C in the north to 27 ° C in the south, in August reaches 28-29 ° C throughout the area. Water salinity is 32-34 ‰. Typhoons are frequent in summer and fall. Tides are irregular, diurnal and semi-diurnal, up to 4 meters.

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Ships traveling from the ports of China, Japan and Russia to the Strait of Singapore and in the opposite direction in the South China Sea adhere to the so-called Main Sea Route. This route is the shortest and safest and is used by ships.

The islands lying on the sides of the Main Seaway have different structures. The Paracel Islands (Sisha) and the Spratly Islands (Nansha) are low, composed of coral sand and covered with stunted vegetation. Between them lie many coral reefs, jars and submarine atolls. Reefs are especially abundant among the Nansha Islands, a vast area of which has hardly been surveyed.

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The substrate in deeper water is mud and sand, but near islands and reefs it is coral. Silt, sand and shell predominate in the southern part of the track, coral on the banks, and rocky substrate is found near the shores of rocky islands. The main factor affecting navigation along the Main Sea Route is the monsoons. Typhoons pose a great danger when sailing the South China Sea. Therefore, the paths of typhoons, as well as signs of their approach should be well known to mariners. Drift currents are formed in the South China Sea under the influence of monsoons.

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The largest bays of the South China Sea are the Bakbo (Tonkin) and the Gulf of Siam.

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The largest island is Hainan.

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The sea is rich in biological resources. Commercial fishes are tuna, herring, sardines and others.

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