How many islands does China have?

How many islands does China have?

As one of the countries with the largest number of islands in the world, China has abundant island resources and is widely distributed. In recent years, discussions about the number of islands in China have become a hot topic, especially in the fields of maritime rights and ecological protection. This article will combine the hot content of the past 10 days and provide you with a detailed analysis of the current situation of China's islands through structured data.

1. Overview of the number of islands in China

According to the latest authoritative data, China has about 7,600 islands exceeding 500 square meters, with a total area of more than 80,000 square kilometers. The following is the distribution of the main island types:

2. Recent hot island topics

1.South China Sea Island Reef Construction: The recent environmental assessment reports on artificial islands such as Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef have sparked heated discussions. Relevant data shows that the area of built facilities has increased by 320% compared with 2015.

2.Zhoushan Islands Tourism Hot: During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the number of tourists received by Zhoushan Islands increased by 45% year-on-year, and the number of single-day tourists on Mount Putuo exceeded 80,000.

3.Taiwan Island Ecological Protection: The latest research found that the number of endemic species in Taiwan has reached 1,287, and discussions on related protection policies have increased.

3. Distribution characteristics of island resources

China’s islands show obvious regional agglomeration characteristics:

1.East China Sea area: Accounting for 58% of the total number of islands in the country, mainly including Zhoushan Islands, Shengsi Islands, etc.

2.South China Sea area: Accounting for 32%, represented by Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha Islands.

3.Other sea areas: Yellow Sea, Bohai Sea and other regions account for 10%.

4. Policy dynamics of island management

Important policies recently introduced include:

1. The revised version of the "Measures for the Protection and Utilization of Uninhabited Islands" will be implemented in July, with new ecological compensation provisions.

2. The Ministry of Natural Resources has launched the island ecological restoration project in 2024, with a planned investment of 1.2 billion yuan.

3. Hainan Free Trade Port has added special policy support for the development of islands in Sansha City.

5. Future development trends

According to expert analysis, China’s island development will present three major trends:

1.Ecological development: 90% of new development projects are required to pass environmental impact assessments.

2.Digital management: The construction of remote sensing monitoring systems for all inhabited islands will be completed by 2025.

3.economic diversification: It is expected that by 2030, the proportion of island tourism economy will increase from 35% now to 50%.

It can be seen from the above data that China’s islands are not only numerous in number, but also occupy an important position in the national development strategy. As the construction of a maritime power advances, these pearls scattered across the vast sea will continue to glow with new vitality.