_*Government #_Long-form name: none
_*Economy #_Overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing and phosphate mining. Geological surveys carried out several years ago suggest that substantial reserves of oil and natural gas may lie beneath the islands; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.
_#_Industries: some guano mining
_*Communications #_Airports: 3 total, 2 usable; none with runways over 2,439 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
_#_Ports: no natural harbors
_*Defense Forces #Note: approximately 50 small islands or reefs are occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam % @Sri Lanka *Geography #_Total area: 65,610 km2; land area: 64,740 km2
_#_Comparative area: slightly larger than West Virginia
_#_Land boundaries: none
_#_Coastline: 1,340 km
_#_Maritime claims: