Union Banks (Pagkakaisa Banks and Reefs) is a large drowned atoll in the center of Dangerous Ground in the Spratly IslandsinSouth China Sea, 230 kilometres (120 nautical miles)[1] west of the Philippine coast, containing islands and reefs whose ownership remains disputed and controversial.[2] The closest atoll is Tizard Bank, 25 kilometres (13 nautical miles) due north of Union Banks. There are only two natural islands on the rim of the reef, Sin Cowe Island and Sin Cowe East Island.
The atoll is 55 kilometres (34 miles) long from Johnson South Reef in the southwest to Whitson Reef in the northeast, and up to 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) wide. Its total area measures 461 square kilometres (178 square miles). The central lagoon is up to 53 metres (174 feet) deep.[3]
Union Banks consists of the following islands and reefs, clockwise starting in the southwest corner:[4][5]
Key: yellow = occupied by PRC; violet = occupied by Vietnam
Chigua Jiao (Johnson South Reef)
Đá Cô Lin
(Collins Reef,
Johnson North Reef)
Sinh Tồn (Sin Cowe Island)
Dōngmén Jiāo (Hughes Reef)
Sinh Tồn Đông (Grierson Reef/ Sin Cowe East Island)
Đá Len Đao (Landsdowne Reef)
This list includes the names of all Spratly features known to be occupied and/or above water at low tide.
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| Pratas Island |
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| Paracel Islands |
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| Northeastern SCS |
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| Spratly Islands |
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| Southeastern SCS |
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| Southern SCS |
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| Tudjuh Archipelago |
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