Loaita Island

Loaita Island
Disputed island
Loaita Island
Loaita Island
Other names	Kota Island (Philippine English) Pulo ng Kota (Filipino) Đảo Loại Ta (Vietnamese) 南鑰島 / 南钥岛 Nányào Dǎo (Chinese)
Geography
Location	South China Sea
Coordinates	10°40′N 114°25′E / 10.667°N 114.417°E / 10.667; 114.417 (Loaita Island)
Archipelago	Spratly Islands
Administration
Philippines
Region	IV-B - MIMAROPA
Province	Palawan
Municipality	Kalayaan
Claimed by
China
Philippines
Taiwan^[1]
Vietnam
Additional information

Loaita Island also known as Kota Island (Filipino: Pulo ng Kota; Mandarin Chinese: 南鑰島/南钥岛; pinyin: Nányào Dǎo, and Vietnamese: Đảo Loại Ta), with an area of 6.45 hectares (15.9 acres) -- is the tenth largest of the naturally-occurring Spratly Islands, and the fifth largest of the Philippine-occupied islands.^[2] It is located just to the west of the northern part of Dangerous Ground, and is 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Philippine-occupied Thitu Island (Pag-asa) and 22 miles (35 km) north-northeast of Taiwan-occupied Itu Aba Island.^[3]

The island 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.

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Environment

The island fringes the Loaita Bank, shoals and reefs.^[4] Its calcarenite outcrop is visible along its western side at low tide. The present shape of the island indicates sand buildup along its eastern side. The anchor-shaped side will eventually connect with the northern portion as the sand buildup continues, thereby creating another mini-lagoon in the process. The presence of migrating sea birds adds to the high phosphorus content of the island's sand. Occasionally, giant sea turtles lay their eggs on the island. The island is covered with mangrove bushes, above which rise coconut palms and other small trees.

History

On 22 May 1963, a sovereignty stele was rebuilt on Loaita Island by crew members of the three vessels Huong Giang, Chi Lang and Ky Hoa of the South Vietnam.^[5]

Several Philippine soldiers have been stationed on the island since 1968 when the Philippines occupied it. There are only a few structures, which serve as shelters for the soldiers.

The soldiers also guard the nearby Lankiam Cay (Panata) which lies about 8 miles (13 km) to the east-northeast. The cay is under observation from a tall structure on the island, and the Philippine soldiers also regularly visit it.

Loaita Nan and Loaita Cay (Melchora Aquino), which are distinct from Kota, lie 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east-northeast. These are unoccupied features, but are also largely controlled by the Philippines.

References

^ "Peace in the South China Sea, National Territory Secure Forever: Position Paper on ROC South Clina Sea Policy" (PDF). ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
^ PAO-MIN, CHANG (1990). "A New Scramble for the South China Sea Islands". Contemporary Southeast Asia. 12 (1): 20–39. doi:10.1355/CS12-1B. ISSN 0129-797X. JSTOR 42707646.
^ "Thitu Island". Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
^ Sailing Directions (Enroute), Pub. 161: South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand (PDF). Sailing Directions. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2017. p. 13.
^ ""White Paper on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands (1975)". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Republic of Vietnam).

External links

Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker
NGA Chart 93044 shows the area NW of Dangerous Ground

Spratly Islands

Confrontations

Regions

Occupied features

Brunei	Louisa Reef
China	Cuarteron Reef Fiery Cross Reef Gaven Reefs Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Mischief Reef Subi Reef
Malaysia	Ardasier Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef Swallow Reef
Philippines	Commodore Reef Flat Island Irving Reef Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Nanshan Island Northeast Cay Second Thomas Shoal Thitu Island West York Island
Taiwan	Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef
Vietnam	Alison Reef Amboyna Cay Barque Canada Reef Bombay Castle Central London Reef Collins Reef Cornwallis South Reef Discovery Great Reef East London Reef Grierson Reef Ladd Reef Lansdowne Reef Namyit Island Pearson Reef Petley Reef Sand Cay Sin Cowe Island South Reef Southwest Cay Spratly Island Tennent Reef West London Reef

Unoccupied features

South China Sea

Pratas Island

Pratas Island
North Vereker Bank
South Vereker Bank

Paracel Islands

Amphitrite Group	Rocky Island Tree Island West Sand Woody Island Qilian Yu
Crescent Group	Money Island Robert Island Yagong Island
Other features	Bombay Reef Triton Island

Northeastern SCS

Spratly Islands

Dangerous
Ground

NW	North Danger Reef Northeast Cay Southwest Cay Thitu Reefs Thitu Island Subi Reef Loaita Bank Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Tizard Bank Gaven Reefs Namyit Island Sand Cay Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef NNW Irving Reef West York Island WNW Western Reef
NE	Flat Island Nanshan Island Reed Tablemount Third Thomas Shoal
SE	Commodore Reef First Thomas Shoal Mischief Reef Sabina Shoal Second Thomas Shoal
SW	Union Banks Collins Reef Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Sin Cowe Island Ardasier Reef Cornwallis South Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef