In which ocean is the South China Sea located? What is the sea like in Vietnam? South China is the best sea off the coast of Vietnam

The South China Sea is located on the map between two oceans - the Pacific and Indian. Many small islands, shallow waters, and coral reefs are home to a variety of marine life. More than 6.5 thousand species inhabit these warm waters. The sea coast attracts tourists, mineral resources lie on the shelf, and the location promotes transport activity.

What an ocean

The sea is open on one side and washes the mainland on the other. It is difficult for a non-specialist to determine which object on the map the South China Sea belongs to. It is located in the southern part of Eurasia, limited to Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan. It is connected by straits to the Pacific and Indian oceans, borders on many water systems and belongs to the Pacific Ocean.

Geography

On the continental side it washes China, Malaysia and Vietnam. The longest coastline belongs to Vietnam, which is why it is called the Vietnam Sea. On the other there are a large number of islands, seas and straits.

It is one of the five largest seas in the world, its area is 3.5 million km², the average depth is just over 1 km. A significant river of the Indochina Peninsula, the Mekong, flows into the sea. The nine-armed Mekong Delta is located in Vietnam and is home to one of the most densely populated areas in the world. To the north flow the Hongha and Xinjiang.

FACT: The area of ​​the Mekong Delta, which the Vietnamese call the “Nine Dragon River”, is almost 40 thousand km²; in 2011, the population in the region was more than 17 million people.

Bottom relief

The bottom topography has three encircling parts:

• More than 50% of the area is occupied by the continental shelf, which is widest in the northern part of the sea;
• The stepped southeast Asian slope has depths of up to 3.6 km;
• The central flat sea basin has mountainous elevations; in some parts the depth reaches 5 km.

The deep-sea part is located closer to the island of Luzon; on the opposite side there are many islets, reefs and banks.

The largest Chinese island, Hainan, is located in the north of the South China Sea; due to its similar climate, it can be called “East Hawaii”. In prehistoric times, the island was part of the mainland; inside there are mountains and dense forests.

All the small islands are basically coral atolls. The atolls are not inhabited by people, but there are a lot of marine inhabitants here. The Spratly Islands consist of hundreds of islets, and have been the subject of conflict between the countries of the water area for more than 10 years. Since 2014, China has been building artificial dams, covering corals with silt and limestone, undermining the natural life of coral reefs.

Salinity

The salinity of the South China Sea, around 32 - 34‰, varies seasonally and varies slightly in different parts. In winter, the northern parts are the saltiest due to increased evaporation. Near the Mekong Delta, the figure drops to 30 ‰. Off the coast of the Philippines, weak currents contribute to increased salinity. During the rainy season, the sea becomes fresher by about 0.7‰. Monsoons also make adjustments to the composition of water.

The circulation of the upper layer is directly related to the monsoons. Typhoons increase the speed of water flow up to 210 cm/s.

There are 3 types of circulation in the South China Sea:

• The monsoon current passes through the surface as a single unit, gaining greatest strength in the west;
• Horizontal circulation caused by winds;
• Vertical circulation transports layers of water, moving deep water to the surface.

Water exchange with other seas is limited by the shallow depth of the straits. Since November, the northern influence of the trade wind current has been observed.

FACT: At low tide, a strong “rip current” is created, which is dangerous for swimmers. To get out of it, you need to swim parallel to the shore.

In summer, the water temperature is uniform and stays around +29°C on the surface. In winter, the sea is quite warm from +18° to +28°C, the temperature difference is associated with the change of monsoons. The winter wind brings cold waters from the north; seasonal water temperature fluctuations off the coast of Hong Kong reach 13-14°C. On Hainan Island, temperatures vary from +20°C in January to +30°C in July.

Precipitation

The islands are subject to heavy rainfall. Over 1300 mm of water falls per year. The greatest amounts fall in the southern months from June to October. On the coast of Vietnam, the rainy season begins in May and ends in November.

Monsoons

Monsoons, steady winds with a constant direction, have a huge impact on the weather in the region. The west coast is influenced by southwesterly winds from May to October, which brings warmth and heavy rainfall. In October, the northeast wind brings dry and cool weather until April. Under the influence of winds near the coast, constant waves are formed, especially strong in the southwest.

Typhoons

Typhoons cause strong waves. Storm surges are dangerous when combined with high tides. In Vietnam, water surges of up to 3 meters were observed, in China up to almost 6 meters. The typhoon season in the western Pacific Ocean lasts from late summer to late autumn and covers the northern coast of the South China Sea. Wind speeds can exceed 20 meters per second.

Depth

The sea beaches are mostly flat. The depth of the South China Sea on the continental side barely reaches 0.2 km, the Gulf of Thailand - less than 70 m. The reason for the shallow water is a wide shelf zone located in a ring. The deep-sea basin is located off the coast of the islands of Luzon and Taiwan. Maximum depth is about 5500 m.

The warm sea is rich in nutrients and is distinguished by a variety of marine life forms:

• The vegetation is represented by algae from single-celled ones, including poisonous red ones, to huge kelp. Some green algae blooms are causing a real disaster in Chinese provinces.
• Fishes of industrial importance. These include: eel, herring, mackerel, sardines, tuna.
• Sharks, stingrays, jellyfish and other dangerous inhabitants. Sharks are not often seen by people; they have been spotted off the coast of the Philippine Islands. More often people suffer from poisonous fish and jellyfish.
• Corals and coral reef inhabitants annually attract divers from all over the world.
• Clams, crabs, shrimp.

FACT: The largest jewel, the Pearl of Allah, weighing 6.4 kg, was caught in the Philippines in 1943.

The South China Sea is washed by many exotic countries and attracts diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. In most resorts you can relax all year round.

Main directions of tourism:

• On the Chinese island of Hainan in the South China Sea, tourists can improve their health with the help of traditional national medicine. The island is famous for its thermal springs, which heal the body.
• Pattaya (Thailand), beloved by tourists, is located on the coast of the South China Sea. The place is famous for its mild climate and convenient infrastructure.
• Nha Trang Bay (Vietnam) amazes with its beauty. The region is actively developing; here you can combine a traditional beach holiday with an extensive excursion program and mud therapy.
• Singapore has been chosen by businessmen from all over the world. A fantastic city-state with snow-white beaches and perfect cleanliness, various theme parks, amazing buildings, high technology - all this is the reality of Singapore.

Disputed Islands

Heated debates over the Spratlys and the Paracel Islands are being waged by several countries in the water area - China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. The main reasons for disputes are fisheries and natural resources, control of sea routes.

The disputed islands are classified as part of the Chinese province of Hainan. The Vietnamese provide historical documents and evidence that they also have rights to some territories. The Philippines is located closest to the subject of discussion and claims its right to the disputed areas.

The conflict escalated after China built artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago. The countries of the water area consider it unlawful to build military bases located a thousand miles from the coast of China.

Economic significance

The water area is of global importance:

• The South China Sea is home to major trade routes used by Russia, China and Japan. Flows from active trade in the region amount to about 5 trillion. dollars.
• The waters are rich in commercial fish species. About 10% of the world's fish is caught here.
• There are deposits of oil, gas, precious and non-ferrous metals on the shelf. China and Vietnam attract international companies for production.
• The islands produce and export guano, an environmentally friendly fertilizer.

FACT: China has become the world leader in fish catching and consumption in recent years.

Let's sum it up

Many people enjoy vacationing in the warm tropical climate. The South China Sea is attractive for tourism and has global economic significance. Seafood, coral fish, exotic species, oil and heated international disputes - all this is the southern sea region.

China is the largest state in Asia. In terms of area, it is second only to Russia and Canada. And it would be strange if it did not have access to the sea.

And he really is. China, in addition to two straits, the Korean and Taiwanese, is washed by three seas at once:

East China;

South China.

All seas of China are semi-closed, surrounded on one side by the mainland, and belong to the Pacific Ocean basin, from which they are separated by islands. Moreover, the total length of the coastline is 12 thousand kilometers, if you do not take into account the islands, the number of which reaches 3.5 thousand.

Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea in China got its name because its waters periodically turn yellow. The color appears more in spring and summer, when rivers, including the Yellow River, carry huge amounts of sand and silt from the continent. Another phenomenon of these waters is that they “bloom”. The secret is in green algae, which grows several kilometers from the shore. This leads to the death of fish and other animals.

The climate here is quite mild. One of the most famous beach resorts on the Yellow Sea coast is Qingdao, which is also sometimes called “Eastern Switzerland”. It attracts tourists with its numerous beaches of fine white sand and surprisingly clean coastal water.

On the shores of the Yellow Sea, on the southern protrusion of the Liaodong Peninsula, the city of Dalian was built. Previously, it was Russian and was called “Dalniy”. There are also very beautiful beaches and parks there. They also come there for treatment and relaxation.

South China Sea

It is a pity that many Russians do not know what seas are in China. But the coast of the South China Sea offers a wonderful holiday. One of the most popular islands in it is Hainian. Transparent sea water, healing air, a lot of greenery - this is what every tourist can enjoy here. You can swim in the sea waves even at the peak of the calendar winter - in January. And not only swimming, but also diving, surfing, and yachting. All year round, the water temperature remains quite comfortable. Also in the waters of the South China Sea you can indulge yourself in a traditional Russian hobby - fishing.

East China Sea

This sea is much deeper than the Yellow Sea, on average 349 meters from the surface of the water to the bottom. It is more severe than other seas in China. From May to October, several times a year, typhoons occur here, causing very severe storms. Marine vegetation near the shores is quite poor. However, these waters are home to dolphins, sharks and even whales. The sea is rich in commercial fish. It is home to an abundance of tuna, flounder, sardines, mackerel, mullet, eels, and herring, which successfully share their living environment with crabs, lobsters, and sea cucumbers—exquisite delicacies.

Located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. It covers the territory from Singapore to the island of Taiwan. The length of the sea is 3300 kilometers, the maximum width is 1600 kilometers, the greatest depth reaches 5500 meters. It has many islets, atolls and

The South China Sea is located in two climatic zones: equatorial and subequatorial. In winter the winds blow predominantly from the northeast, and in the summer from the southwest. It is thanks to them that fans of windsurfing, parasailing, and kitesurfing come to the resort cities of Mui Ne and Phan Thiet every year from all over the world. The water temperature ranges from +20 to +27 degrees in the summer. Closer to autumn, the Chinese Sea warms up to +29 degrees. Typhoons often occur in summer.

The borders of many states extend to the sea: the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia. A large number of trade routes pass through the sea. All this makes the South China Sea very busy. In addition, it is very rich in biological resources, which is why territorial conflicts often flare up between coastal states. This is especially true for discovered large oil reserves.

The South China Sea attracts thousands of tourists to its shores every year. The fabulous island of Koh Samui will give you magnificent beaches, and an unforgettable nightlife awaits you in the city of Pattaya. Vietnam also has a number of resort towns. For example, Nha Chag, Phan Thiet, Danang. All of them have developed infrastructure and many travel agencies. Thanks to good financing, the exotic resorts of China located on the island of Hainan are gaining more and more popularity every year. One of the most amazing places in the South China Sea is Singapore. Its area is only 720 km². Despite this, today it is one of the most economically developed countries in Asia with a high standard of living.

The East China Sea is located between the islands of Kyushu and Ryukyu and the eastern coast of China. It has a semi-closed shape. Its total area is 836 thousand km². The greatest depth of the sea is 2719 meters. The water temperature in summer rises to +28 degrees. Daily tides reach an average of 7.5 kilometers. There is constant fishing in the sea: sardines, herring, as well as crabs, lobsters, sea cucumbers and seaweed.

Navigation in the East China Sea is poorly developed. Most of the navigation aids are located closer to the ports, on capes, on the shores of the tides. Earthquakes often occur here, which change their result - the appearance of longitudinal ones and which crush everything in their path. Tsunamis often occur here, unleashing their destructive power on the land. Typically, local tsunamis consist of a series of waves. Usually their number ranges from three to nine. They spread over land at speeds of up to 300 km/h at intervals of 10-30 minutes. The height of the waves reaches 5 meters, the maximum length is 100 kilometers.

The seaside resorts of China are not very well known among our compatriots, despite the fact that the Celestial Empire is washed by three seas at once:

• South China;
• Yellow;
• East China.

All these seas belong to the Pacific basin and are semi-enclosed - they are partially limited by the mainland.

Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea stretches between the coast of China and the Korean Peninsula. Several large rivers flow into it, including the Yellow River. In spring and summer, dust storms often occur on the mainland, where the rivers originate. The smallest particles of sand and dust fall into the water and color it yellow-green. It is because of this phenomenon that the Yellow Sea got its name.

The Yellow Sea is not very deep. Its shores are covered with fine sand, and the bottom is flat, without large differences in depth. However, the Yellow Sea is not very convenient for a beach holiday. In summer it is filled with sand and green algae, and in winter the water temperature drops to zero, and floating ice may even appear in some areas. The only exception is the resort of Qingdao, which is rightfully considered a Chinese health resort. The water here is clean all year round, and many spas, traditional Chinese medicine centers, etc. are available to tourists.

Since the flora and fauna of the Yellow Sea is very diverse, active fishing is carried out here. In the Yellow Sea, kelp, shellfish, squid, jellyfish and all kinds of fish are harvested on an industrial scale. Several species of sharks live here, but attacks on people are extremely rare.

South China Sea

The South China Sea washes several countries: China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is ideal for a beach holiday. The water in the South China Sea is clear and very clean. There are many stunningly beautiful coral islands scattered throughout the sea. Even in winter, the water temperature does not drop below +20°C. However, tourists who want to relax in the South China Sea should take into account that the region has a monsoon climate, which is characterized by the onset of the rainy season and typhoons.

Typically, Chinese guests are attracted to:

• the island of Taiwan, the center of which is the extraordinary Hong Kong,
• Hainan Island is one of the most famous resorts in China, where you can see many natural and architectural monuments.

Shrimp, mussels, tuna and squid are harvested in the South China Sea. Freshly caught seafood can be tasted in coastal restaurants or purchased at local markets.

East China Sea

The East China Sea lies between the Chinese coast and the Japanese island strip. Since the sea is located in the subtropical zone, the water here does not freeze even in winter. Unfortunately, the South China Sea is an area of ​​high seismic activity, which is a common cause of tsunamis and typhoons between May and October.

There are several resort areas with excellent infrastructure on the seashore. Most tourists are invariably attracted to coastal Shanghai, a city with an ancient history and many unique attractions.

A variety of algae grow in the waters of the East China Sea. Also here live all kinds of crustaceans, flounder, herring, mollusks, echinoderms, squid, sharks, eels and water snakes, some of which are poisonous. Wildlife lovers can see such unusual animals here as dugongs or whales.

The numerous islands and mainland lands of eastern and southeastern Asia share the waters of their common basin, the South China Sea, and a common geological past. In the Precambrian period (more than 500 million years ago), the Chinese Plate, which forms the northern part of Asia, was a huge land mass. Then it divided and the places where its southern part of the South China Plate subsided were filled with water. This is how local seas were formed, including the South China Sea, the basin of which is outlined by the coastlines of China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines, as well as the chain of islands (Taiwan, Luzon, etc.) separating the continental shelf Asia from the so-called Pacific Trench. The sea is known for its depth variations. Its western and southern parts rest on the Sunda shelf (a wide continental shelf), where the bottom often begins at a level of 30-80 m (at the edge - more than 150 m). In the northeast, from the Philippines and Sulawesi, as well as from the Lesser Sunda Islands, the shelf is separated by a colossal basin (in places up to 4000 m), the maximum depth of which is 5560 m. Unlike the eastern part, where underwater currents are weak, the western part has a pronounced southern current in winter and northern in summer. At a depth of more than 2000 m, the temperature remains at 2.3 ° C, and salinity reaches 34.63%. Diurnal and semidiurnal tides can reach 5.9 m.

Story

The first Europeans to settle here were most likely the Portuguese, who in 1553 received the right to anchorage and maritime trade off the Macau Peninsula, overcoming the rule that had existed in Imperial China since the 14th century. ban on her. Perhaps Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) knew about the sea back in 1520. Then he, having circumnavigated South America, reached the Philippine Islands along the calm waters of the ocean. He christened the ocean he traversed the Pacific Ocean and apparently reached the South China Sea. In any case, the detailed map of the Pacific Ocean published by the Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) in 1589 already included this sea. Over time, Macau turned into a Portuguese colony, and Europeans increasingly appeared in the waters of the South China Sea, dividing the lands of its coastline among themselves.
In 1806, the Russian sloops “Neva” and “Nadezhda” visited here - ships of the first round-the-world voyage in the history of the Russian military fleet under the command of Admiral Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern (1770-1846) and Captain Yuri Fedorovich Lisyansky (1773-1837).
In the middle of the 19th century. The South China Sea became the front of the “Opium Wars” (1840-1842 and 1856-1860). The conflicts were initiated by Britain and France with the aim of weakening China. The Europeans won, received a multimillion-dollar indemnity in Chinese currency and reached agreements that improved the situation of foreigners in the region and increased trade turnover. The southern part of the Kowloon Peninsula with Hong Kong - “the greatest harbor in the world,” according to the hero of the novel Tai-Peng (1966) by James Clavell (1924-1994) - was ceded to Great Britain.
XX century The South China Sea remains a high-stress area due to its strategic location and the presence of minerals offshore. In 1939, the islands of the South China Sea were occupied by the Japanese. They created military communications: tracking stations, preliminary detection of objects and warnings, a seaplane port, a submarine base, and a runway. This allowed the Japanese to significantly undermine the Allied forces in the early period of World War II. The Europeans also tried to strengthen their positions. In particular, France attached great importance to the military strengthening of Indochina, which carried out large-scale military construction on the territory of its colonies (for example, since 1939 an aircraft factory operated in Hanoi), had an extensive garrison and a naval base. But already in 1940, it was forced to submit to Japanese demands to stop transporting goods to China through Indochina. A number of successful actions against Japan in the sea area were carried out by the American-British allied forces in 1945. The strategically important Spratly Islands, located between Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, have always been of particular interest: this archipelago of more than 100 small islands is still claimed today six states (Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei). Deep-sea research gives reason to talk about the presence of about 3,100,000,000 tons of oil in the depths of the sea. One of the largest oil and gas bearing areas is the Sunda shelf. Before our eyes, the territorial conflict between China and the Philippines threatens to escalate in the South China Sea.
But any conflict in this region threatens to go beyond the local, since the main sea route connecting Asia (including China and Russia) with Australia and Africa lies here.
The most important part of the income of coastal countries is tourism. Guests can relax on the islands of coral and volcanic nature. Some of the volcanoes are active, so underwater eruptions and earthquakes that provoke tsunamis are common here. Combined with frequent typhoons and drift currents formed under the influence of monsoons, all this makes the region dangerous for sailors.
This sea scares some, but protects others. The semi-mythical figure of Madame Wong (born 1920-?) has become a legendary character. Her husband, Mr. Wong Kungkit, made a huge fortune by robbing ships in the South China Sea. After his death in 1947, his wife continued his work. She managed to organize a pirate gang in the best traditions of Chinese secret societies, the head of which was sacred and assumed mystical unquestioning obedience.
The exotic fauna of these places amazes no less than the fascinating legends: strong and aggressive striped gymnomures, poisonous stone fish warts, Chinese flutefishes, whistle fishes and crooked tails hiding in the needles of sea urchins.

general information

Sea in the western Pacific Ocean. It washes the coastline of eastern and southeastern Asia.
Largest peninsulas: Indochina, Malacca.
Location between islands: Kalimantan (Borneo), Palawan, Luzon, Taiwan.
Main straits: Taiwanese, Washi, Luzon, Gelasa, Karimata.
Large bays: Bakbo (Tonkin), Siamese.
Largest island: .
Largest flowing rivers: Xijiang (South China), Hong Ha (Vietnam), Mekong (Vietnam), Chao Phraya (Thailand), Maenam (Thailand).
Countries with access to the sea: China, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia.
The most important ports and largest cities: Kaohsiung (Taiwan), (China), Zhanjian (China). and (Vietnam), (Thailand), (Republic of Singapore), (Philippines).
Major airports: Singapore International Airport (Changi), Kota Bharu Airport, Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok), Bangkok International Airport (Suvarnabhum).

Numbers

Area: 3537 km2.
Average depth: 1024 m.
Greatest depth: 5560 m.
Water volume: 3622 km 3.
Current speed: about 1 km/h.
Salinity: from 31%-33% (summer) to 31.5%-34% (winter).
Total water area: more than 3,530,000 km 2.

Economy

Industry: light industry, food industry, oil and gas production, electronics assembly.
Agriculture: crop growing, vegetable growing, fishing, livestock farming.
Service sector: tourism, trade, transport.

Climate and weather

Tropical, in the south - equatorial monsoon.
Average January temperature:+15ºС (in the north), +25ºС (in the south)
Average temperature in July:+28ºС.
Average annual precipitation: 2000-2500 mm per year.
Average water temperature (at surface): in winter from +20ºС (in the north) to +27ºС (in the south); in summer up to +29ºС.

Typhoons are very frequent (summer and autumn).
Wind zone: northeast (in winter), south and southwest (in summer).

Attractions

National parks

Con Dao (Vietnam)

Rome and Botum Sakor (Cambodia)

Bako and Similajau (Kalimantan Island (Borneo), Malaysia)

Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park (Philippines)

My-Ko-Ang Thong National Marine Park (Thailand)

Similajau National Marine Park (Malaysia)

Curious facts

From the bottom of the South China Sea in 1934, the largest (more than 6 kg 14 x 24 cm) and expensive (about $42 million) pearl in the world, the “Head of Allah,” was recovered. It really resembles the shape of the head of a man in a turban and, like any unique natural formation, over centuries of life at the bottom of the sea it has acquired not only a mother-of-pearl layer, but also legends. They say that Lao Tse himself, the luminary of ancient Chinese philosophy, placed an amulet in the shell, and then his followers transferred the pearl to an increasingly larger mollusk. According to a sad legend, typical for countries with developed pearl fishing, it was allegedly found by the son of one of the Philippine leaders: at that time the pearl rested in a giant tridacni shell, which he could not cope with and died. Tridacnas can actually reach a length of 2 m and weigh more than 100 kg Tridacnas have traditionally been considered dangerous for pearl divers, which is why they received the nickname “death traps”.

Since 1974, the South China Sea has been blessed by the likeness of the famous Brazilian sculpture of Jesus with outstretched arms - Thanh Zoc (Vung Tau, Vietnam).

Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park on the island of Palawan (Philippines) is famous for the longest (8.2 km) navigable underground river in the world. In the calcareous mountain range, she created grottoes and caves up to 60 m high and up to 120 m wide. For this she was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.