Ardasier Reef

Ardasier Reef
Disputed reef
Satellite image of Ardasier Reef by NASA.
Ardasier Reef
Other names	Terumbu Ubi (Malay) Antonio Luna Reef (Philippine English) Bahura ng Antonio Luna (Filipino) đá Kiêu Ngựa (Vietnamese) 光星仔礁 Guāngxīngzǐ Jiāo (Chinese)
Geography
Location	South China Sea
Coordinates	7°37′19″N 113°51′39″E / 7.62194°N 113.86083°E / 7.62194; 113.86083 7°37′19″N 113°51′39″E / 7.62194°N 113.86083°E / 7.62194; 113.86083
Archipelago	Spratly Islands
Administration
Malaysia
State	Sabah
Claimed by
China
City	Sansha, Hainan
Malaysia
State	Sabah
Taiwan
Municipality	Cijin, Kaohsiung
Vietnam
District	Trường Sa, Khánh Hòa

Ardasier Reef (7°37′19″N 113°51′39″E / 7.62194°N 113.86083°E / 7.62194; 113.86083), also known as Malay: Terumbu Ubi, lit. 'Yam Reef'; Antonio Luna Reef (Tagalog: Bahura ng Antonio Luna); Vietnamese: đá Kiêu Ngựa; Mandarin Chinese: 光星仔礁; pinyin: Guāngxīngzǐ Jiāo, is a triangular shaped feature on the SW extremity of Dangerous Ground in the Spratly Islands.^[1]

It lies 26 km NNE of Swallow Reef, and 9 km east of Dallas Reef, with the large Ardasier Bank extending 69 km ENE. Ardasier Bank, a sunken atoll except for drying Ardasier Reef at its southwestern end, has a total area of 2347 km², and its former lagoon is up to 65 metres deep.^[2]

Ardasier Reef is steep-to, except on its eastern side where it adjoins the Ardasier Bank. Its huge areas of sandy patches have an abundance of shy Guitar Sharks, Eagle Rays, Giant Reef Rays and other intriguing bottom dwelling creatures that bury themselves in the sand.

It is one of the areas in the Spratly Islands occupied by Malaysia. The Royal Malaysian Navy has maintained an "offshore naval station" there called "Station Uniform", since 1986.^[3] The Filipino name is named after Philippine revolutionary general, Antonio Luna.

References

^ http://www.oceangrafix.com/chart/zoom?chart=93047 SW Dangerous Ground
^ Table showing Atoll Area, Depth and Rainfall^{[permanent dead link]}, ftp://rock.geosociety.org
^ Joshua Ho; Sam Bateman (15 February 2013). Maritime Challenges and Priorities in Asia: Implications for Regional Security. Routledge. pp. 74–. ISBN 978-1-136-29820-2.

External links

Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker

Physical geography of Sabah

Coastal features

Bays	Agal Brunei Cowie Darvel Kimanis Labuk Marchesa Marudu Padas Paitan Sandakan Sandy (Pasir Putih) Sepanggar Schomburgk Tambak
Capes	Tip of Borneo
Islands	List of islands disputed Spratly Islands Laya Layang Layang Mantanani Peninjau Siput Ubi
Peninsulas	Bengkoka Dent Karambunai Klias Kudat Sandakan Semporna
Straits	Balabac

Interior and water features

Caves

Hills

Skull

Mountains

Mountain ranges

Rivers

Main rivers	Danum Kinabatangan Kolopis Padas Paitan Papar Sugut Tuaran
Tributaries	Kibunut Labuk Liwagu Pegalan

Valleys

Kundasang

Volcanic fields

Waterfalls

Spratly Islands

Confrontations

Regions

Occupied features

Brunei	Louisa Reef
China	Cuarteron Reef Fiery Cross Reef Gaven Reefs Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Mischief Reef Subi Reef
Malaysia	Ardasier Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef Swallow Reef
Philippines	Commodore Reef Flat Island Irving Reef Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Nanshan Island Northeast Cay Second Thomas Shoal Thitu Island West York Island
Taiwan	Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef
Vietnam	Alison Reef Amboyna Cay Barque Canada Reef Bombay Castle Central London Reef Collins Reef Cornwallis South Reef Discovery Great Reef East London Reef Grierson Reef Ladd Reef Lansdowne Reef Namyit Island Pearson Reef Petley Reef Sand Cay Sin Cowe Island South Reef Southwest Cay Spratly Island Tennent Reef West London Reef

Unoccupied features

South China Sea

Pratas Island

Pratas Island
North Vereker Bank
South Vereker Bank

Paracel Islands

Amphitrite Group	Rocky Island Tree Island West Sand Woody Island Qilian Yu
Crescent Group	Money Island Robert Island Yagong Island
Other features	Bombay Reef Triton Island

Northeastern SCS

Spratly Islands

Dangerous
Ground

NW	North Danger Reef Northeast Cay Southwest Cay Thitu Reefs Thitu Island Subi Reef Loaita Bank Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Tizard Bank Gaven Reefs Namyit Island Sand Cay Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef NNW Irving Reef West York Island WNW Western Reef
NE	Flat Island Nanshan Island Reed Tablemount Third Thomas Shoal
SE	Commodore Reef First Thomas Shoal Mischief Reef Sabina Shoal Second Thomas Shoal
SW	Union Banks Collins Reef Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Sin Cowe Island Ardasier Reef Cornwallis South Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef