North Reef, Northwest Paracel Islands

Updated: August 29, 2024.
North Reef, China, is in the NW corner of the Paracel Islands, above the Crescent Group. It has a submerged, natural reef. It hosts the North Reef Lighthouse adjacent to the channel cut into the reef and into a protected cove.

We see no land-masses above the surface, but we see one piece of man-made navigational infrastructure at approximately 235 degrees (or 7:30pm) marking a channel cut into the reef (but not all the way through). Satellite imagery: west side of the reef is 01/11/2019, east is 3/5/2021. Diameter of reef is 7.3 miles. Location: 17°03'50"N 111°28'07"E.

As we zoom into the navigation channel, we see a buoy or navigational feature to help find ships find the spot. We see no other forms of development.

Area
Name 1
Nearest Land
Distance from Land (miles)
Location (latitude & longitude)
Diameter (miles)
Date of Satellite Imagery
Airport Present?
Helipad Present?
Port / Dock Facility Present?
Buildings Present?
Defensive Infrastructure Present?
Athletic Facilities Present?
Hospital Present?
Sand Only Island?
Dredging Infrastructure Only?


Paracel Islands
Northwest Corner
China
129
17°04'02"N 111°27'49"E
7.2
01/11/2019
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No