Pratas Islands, Coral archipelago in South China Sea, Taiwan
The Pratas Islands form a coral archipelago in the South China Sea near Taiwan. The main atoll creates a horseshoe-shaped structure with three offshore jetties and a central lagoon.
British seafarers reached the atoll in the 17th century and named it after the Portuguese word for silver. Chinese administration began establishing facilities on the main island in the early 20th century.
The name Dongsha means "eastern sandbanks" and describes the position of the island group in the waters of the South China Sea. Fishermen from the region have used the anchorages as a stopover during longer voyages for generations.
Visitors need special permission from Taiwanese authorities to travel here. The airstrip serves mainly military purposes and occasional supply flights.
An underground tunnel system connects military installations across the entire island. The structures were built over several decades and remain largely invisible to outsiders.
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