Flat Island (Spratly)

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Occupied by China (PRC) Cuarteron Reef · Huayang Reef Fiery Cross Reef · Yongshu Reef Gaven Reefs · Nanxun Reef and Xinan Reef Johnson South Reef · Chigua Reef Mischief Reef · Meiji Reef Subi Reef · Zhubi Reef Occupied by Malaysia Ardasier Reef · Ubi Reef Dallas Reef · Laya Reef Erica Reef · Siput Reef Investigator Shoal · Peninjau Shoal Louisa Reef · Semarang Barat Kecil Reef Mariveles Reef · Mantanani Reef Swallow Reef · Layang-Layang Island Occupied by the Philippines Thitu Island · Pagasa Island West York Island · Likas Island Northeast Cay · Parola Island Nanshan Island · Lawak Island Loaita Island · Kota Island Flat Island · Patag Island Lankiam Cay · Panata Island Occupied by Taiwan (ROC) Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef Occupied by Vietnam Spratly Island · Truong Sa Island Southwest Cay · Song Tu Tay Island Sincowe Island · Sinh Ton Island Sandcay · Son Ca Island Namyit Island · Nam Yet Island Amboyna Cay · An Bang Island
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Flat Island (Tagalog: Patag, literally "flat"; Chinese: 费信岛; pinyin: Feixin Dao; Vietnamese: Đảo Bình Nguyên) is the second smallest island of Spratly Islands. It is the sixth largest among the Philippine-occupied Spratly islands. It has an area of 0.57 hecatres (5,700 sq. m). It is about 6 miles (10 km) southwest of Philippine-occupied Nanshan Island, and is also controlled by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan. The island is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam.

Environment

The island is a low, flat, sandy cay, 240 by 90 m, and is subject to erosion. It changes its shape seasonally. The sand build up will depend largely on the direction of prevailing wind and waves. It takes the shape of an elongated one for some years now and a shape like that of a crescent moon for few years ago and it formed the shape of a letter "S" in the past. Like Lankiam Cay, it is also barren of any vegetation. No underground water source is found in the island.

Philippine Occupation

Presently, this island serves only as a military observation post, and is guarded by Philippine soldiers stationed at nearby Nanshan Island. The island is too small and manning it 24 hours is a difficult task. Hence, the soldiers at Nanshan Island guard it afar by regularly "watching" it from a tall structure (to increase the horizon distance). The soldiers also regularly visit the island.

In August 2011. The Philippine Navy Seabees finished construction of a second star shell-like structure on Patag Island in the Spratlys, which is intended to shelter and protect troops. The construction is aimed at improving the living conditions of the troops and was done way ahead of the brewing tensions among Spratlys claimant-countries.^[1]

See also

• Spratly Islands Dispute
• Policies, activities and history of the Philippines in Spratly Islands

References

External links

• Google Map of Flat Island

Coordinates: 10°49′00″N 115°49′20″E / 10.81667°N 115.82222°E / 10.81667; 115.82222