Pattle Island
| Disputed island | |
|---|---|
Paracel Islands | |
Location of the major islands in Sansha Legend： Black：Sansha (Pref. seat) Woody Island (South China Sea) Pink：Scarborough Shoal Green：Fiery Cross Reef Blue：Mischief Reef Purple：Subi Reef Orange：Cuarteron Reef Yellow：Gaven Reefs Red：Johnson South Reef Brown：Hughes Reef | |
| Other names | 珊瑚岛, Shānhú dǎo, San Hô đảo, Đảo Hoàng Sa |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 16°32′05″N 111°36′30″E / 16.53472°N 111.60833°E |
| Archipelago | Paracel Islands |
| Total islands | Over 30 |
| Major islands | Woody, Rocky, Tree, Money, Robert, Pattle, Triton, Duncan, Lincoln, Drummond |
| Area | 0.32 km2 (0.12 sq mi) |
| Length | 820 m (2690 ft) |
| Width | 420 m (1380 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Hainan |
| City | Sansha |
| Claimed by | |
| Province | Da Nang |
Pattle Island (Simplified Chinese: 珊瑚岛; Pinyin: Shānhú dǎo; Sino-Vietnamese: San Hô đảo; Vietnamese: Đảo Hoàng Sa) is a coral island belonging to the Crescent Island group of the Paracel Islands. During the period of Vietnamese and French colonial occupation of the islands, Pattle Island was chosen as the main base. 100% of the island was near the mainland, near the center of the archipelago and near many other islands, so it was easier to control than Woody Island, the largest of the Paracels.
China, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim sovereignty over the Paracel Islands, including Pattle Island. China has had de facto control of the island and the rest of the archipelago since the Battle of the Paracel Islands in January 1974.