Investigator Shoal

Investigator Shoal
Disputed atoll
Satellite image of Investigator Shoal by NASA.
Investigator Shoal
Other names	Terumbu Peninjau (Malay) Pawikan Shoal (Philippine English) Buhanginan ng Pawikan (Filipino) Bãi Thám Hiểm (Vietnamese) 榆亚暗沙 Yúyà ànshā (Chinese)
Geography
Location	South China Sea
Coordinates	8°6′51″N 114°42′7″E / 8.11417°N 114.70194°E / 8.11417; 114.70194
Archipelago	Spratly Islands
Administration
Malaysia
State	Sabah
Claimed by
China
City	Sansha, Hainan
Malaysia
State	Sabah
Philippines
Municipality	Kalayaan, Palawan
Taiwan
Municipality	Cijin, Kaohsiung
Vietnam
District	Truong Sa, Khanh Hoa

Investigator Shoal, also known as Malay: Terumbu Peninjau; Pawikan Shoal (Tagalog: Buhanginan ng Pawikan, lit. 'Sandbank of Sea Turtle'); Vietnamese: bãi Thám Hiểm; chữ Nôm: 𣺽探險; Mandarin Chinese: 榆亞暗沙/榆亚暗沙; pinyin: Yúyà ànshā, is located in the SW of Dangerous Ground in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea.^[1]

It is an atoll above water at low tide; some large rocks at the western end might be visible at high water. The atoll is 32.1 kilometres (19.9 mi) and is up to 10.6 km wide.^[2] The total atoll area is 188 square kilometres (73 sq mi). The lagoon is up to 45 meters deep.^[3]

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 Papa" since 1999.^[4]

References

^ NGA Chart 93047, oceangrafix.com
^ Measured from a satellite image with the wikimapia measuring tool at Wikimapia
^ Atoll Area, Depth and Rainfall^{[permanent dead link]}, 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 (Bukit Tengkorak)

Mountains

Mountain ranges

Rivers

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

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