Key Facts about South China Sea

About South China Sea:

• It is an arm of the western Pacific Ocean that borders the Southeast Asian mainland.
• It embraces an area of about 1,423,000 square miles (3,685,000 square km), with a mean depth of 3,976 feet (1,212 metres).
• Boundaries:
  • It is bordered by China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Vietnam.
  • The southern boundary of the South China Sea is a rise in the seabed between Sumatra and Borneo, and the northern boundary stretches from the northernmost point of Taiwan to the coast of Fujian province, China, in the Taiwan Strait.
• It is connected by the Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by the Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea (both marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean).
• The South China Sea and the East China Sea together form the China Sea.
• The two major archipelagos are known as the Paracel Islands, controlled by China, and the Spratly Islands.
• Climate: The weather in the sea is tropical and largely controlled by monsoons.
• It is the second most used sea lane in the world. It is a significant trade route for crude oil from the Persian Gulf and Africa through the Strait of Malacca to Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. 
• Major Ports: Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.