Scarborough Shoal
| Disputed island Other names: Scarborough Reef Bajo de Masinloc Democracy Reef Huangyan Dao Minzhu Jiao Panatag Shoal Panacot Shoal |
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| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 15°11′N 117°46′E / 15.183°N 117.767°ECoordinates: 15°11′N 117°46′E / 15.183°N 117.767°E |
| Archipelago | Land area: none - many rocks at low tide Water area: ~150 km2 (58 sq mi) |
| Highest point |
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| Claimed by | |
| People's Republic of China | |
| Prefecture-level city | Sansha, Hainan |
| Republic of China (Taiwan) | |
| Municipality | Cijin, Kaohsiung |
| Republic of the Philippines | |
| Municipality | Masinloc, Zambales |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Scarborough Shoal, also known as Huangyan Dao (simplified Chinese: 黄岩岛; traditional Chinese: 黃岩島; pinyin: Huángyán Dǎo), Democracy Reef (Chinese: 民主礁; pinyin: Mínzhǔ Jiāo), Bajo de Masinloc, or Panatag Shoal (Filipino: Kulumpol ng Panatag), is a shoal located between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon island in South China Sea.
It is a disputed territory claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the Philippines. The shoal's status is often discussed in conjunction with other territorial disputes in the South China Sea such as those involving the Spratly Islands. Since the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff, access to the shoal has been restricted by the People's Republic of China.
The shoal was named by Captain Philip D'Auvergne, whose East India Company East Indiaman Scarborough grounded on one of the rocks on 12 September 1784, before sailing on to China.
Scarborough Shoal forms a triangle-shaped chain of reefs and rocks with a perimeter of 46 km (29 mi). It covers an area, including an inner lagoon, of 150 km2 (58 sq mi). The shoal's highest point, South Rock, measures 1.8 m (5.9 ft) above water during high tide. Located north of it is a channel, approximately 370 m (1,214 ft) wide and 9–11 m (30–36 ft) deep, leading into the lagoon. Several other coral rocks encircle the lagoon, forming a large atoll.
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Wikipedia