Flat Island (South China Sea)

Flat Island, also known as Patag Island (Tagalog: Pulo ng Patag, lit. 'Island of Flatness'); Mandarin Chinese: 費信島/费信岛; pinyin: Fèixìn Dǎo; Vietnamese: Đảo Bình Nguyên, is the second smallest of the natural Spratly Islands. It has an area of 0.57 hectares (1.4 acres) (5,700 sq. m), and is about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of Philippine-occupied Lawak Island, both of which are located on the expansive but otherwise submerged Flat Isand Bank in the NE of Dangerous Ground.

Flat Island
Disputed island
Other names:
Patag Island (Philippine English)
Pulo ng Patag (Filipino)
Đảo Bình Nguyên (Vietnamese)
費信島 / 费信岛 Fèixìn Dǎo (Chinese)
Flat Island in the north & Nanshan Island in the south, both located on the Flat Island Bank
Geography
LocationWest Philippine Sea
Coordinates10°49′00″N 115°49′20″E
ArchipelagoSpratly Islands
Administered by
Philippines
MunicipalityKalayaan, Palawan
Claimed by
People's Republic of China
Philippines
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Vietnam

It is the sixth largest of the Philippine-occupied Spratly islands and is administered by the Philippines as part of Kalayaan, Palawan. The island is also claimed by the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Vietnam.

Environment

The island is a low, flat, sandy cay, 240m by 90m, and is subject to erosion. It changes its shape seasonally. The sand build up depends largely on the direction of prevailing winds and waves; it has taken an elongated shape for some years, the shape of a crescent moon for a few years, and the shape of a letter "S". Like Lankiam Cay, it is barren of any vegetation. No underground water source has been found in the area.

Philippine Occupation

Presently, the island serves as a military observation outpost and is guarded by Philippine soldiers stationed at nearby Lawak Island. The soldiers regularly visit the island, and it is kept under observation from a tall structure on Lawak Island.

In August 2011, the Philippine Navy Seabees (Naval Combat Engineering Brigade) finished construction of a second star shell-like structure which is intended to shelter and protect troops.[1]

See also

References
  1. Jaime Laude (31 July 2011). "Navy Seabees constructing 'starshell' on Patag Island". Philippine Star.


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