Geography
The island group consists of five uninhabited islets and three barren rocks.
These minor features in the East China Sea are located approximately 120 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan, 200 nautical miles east of the Chinese mainland and 200 nautical miles southwest of the Japanese island of Okinawa.
In ascending order of distances, the island cluster is located:
- 140 kilometres (76 nmi; 87 mi) east of Pengjia Islet, ROC
- 170 kilometres (92 nmi; 110 mi) north of Ishigaki Island, Japan
- 186 kilometres (100 nmi; 116 mi) northeast of Keelung, ROC
- 410 kilometres (220 nmi; 250 mi) west of Okinawa Island, Japan
| No. | Japanese name | Chinese name | Coordinates | Area (km2) | Highest elevation (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uotsuri-jima (魚釣島) | Diaoyu Dao (釣魚島) | 25°46′N 123°31′E / 25.767°N 123.517°E / 25.767; 123.517 | 4.32 | 383 |
| 2 | Taishō-jima (大正島) | Chiwei Yu (赤尾嶼) | 25°55′N 124°34′E / 25.917°N 124.567°E / 25.917; 124.567 | 0.0609 | 75 |
| 3 | Kuba-jima (久場島) | Huangwei Yu (黃尾嶼) | 25°56′N 123°41′E / 25.933°N 123.683°E / 25.933; 123.683 | 1.08 | 117 |
| 4 | Kita-Ko-jima (北小島) | Bei Xiaodao(北小島) | 25°45′N 123°36′E / 25.75°N 123.6°E / 25.75; 123.6 | 0.3267 | 135 |
| 5 | Minami-Ko-jima (南小島) | Nan Xiaodao(南小島) | 25°45′N 123°36′E / 25.75°N 123.6°E / 25.75; 123.6 | 0.4592 | 149 |
| 6 | Oki-no-Kita-iwa (沖ノ北岩) | Da Bei Xiaodao(大北小島/北岩) | 25°49′N 123°36′E / 25.817°N 123.6°E / 25.817; 123.6 | 0.0183 | nominal |
| 7 | Oki-no-Minami-iwa (沖ノ南岩) | Da Nan Xiaodao (大南小島/南岩) | 25°47′N 123°37′E / 25.783°N 123.617°E / 25.783; 123.617 | 0.0048 | nominal |
| 8 | Tobise (飛瀬?) | Fei Jiao Yan (飛礁岩/飛岩) | 25°45′N 123°33′E / 25.75°N 123.55°E / 25.75; 123.55 | 0.0008 | nominal |
The depth of the surrounding waters of the continental shelf is approximately 100–150 metres (328–492 ft) except for the Okinawa Trough on the south.
The existence of the back-arc basin complicates descriptive issues. According to Professor Ji Guoxing of the Asia-Pacific Department at Shanghai Institute for International Studies,
- China's interpretation of the geography is that
"...the Okinawa Trough proves that the continental shelves of China and Japan are not connected, that the Trough serves as the boundary between them, and that the Trough should not be ignored ...."
- Japan's interpretation of the geography is that
"...the trough is just an incidental depression in a continuous continental margin between the two countries ... the trough should be ignored ...."
Read more about this topic: Senkaku Islands
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