# Sand Cay

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Not to be confused with [Sandy Cay](/source/Sandy_Cay_(disambiguation)).

**Sand Cay**, also known as **Bailan Island** (Filipino: *Pulo ng Bailan*) and **Son Ca Island** (Vietnamese: *Đảo Sơn Ca*; [Mandarin](/source/Mandarin_Chinese) Chinese: 敦謙沙洲/敦谦沙洲; pinyin: *Dūnqiān Shāzhōu*), is a [cay](/source/Cay) on the north edge of the [Tizard Bank](/source/Tizard_Bank) of the [Spratly Islands](/source/Spratly_Islands) in the [South China Sea](/source/South_China_Sea). With an natural area of 7 hectares (17 acres), it is the [ninth largest](/source/List_of_Spratly_Islands_by_area), and the fourth largest Vietnamese-administered, of the Spratly Islands. The island has been occupied by [Vietnam](/source/Vietnam) since 1974 (first by [South Vietnam](/source/South_Vietnam), then by the [Socialist Republic of Vietnam](/source/Vietnam) after 1975). It is also claimed by [China (PRC)](/source/China), the [Philippines](/source/Philippines), Vietnam, and [Taiwan (ROC)](/source/Taiwan).

According to reports for 2025, Vietnam expanded the island to 40 hectares with [land reclaimed](/source/Land_reclamation) from the sea.

## Sovereignty

The island has been occupied by [Vietnam](/source/Vietnam) since 1974 (first by [South Vietnam](/source/South_Vietnam), then by the [Socialist Republic of Vietnam](/source/Vietnam) after 1975). By the later half of the 20th century, no nation had complete sovereignty on the islands.

## Geography

Part of the [Tizard Bank](/source/Tizard_Bank),[1] Sand Cay lies 6.2 nautical miles (11.5 km; 7.1 mi) east of [Itu Aba Island](/source/Taiping_Island), which is occupied by Taiwan. It is 450 metres (1,480 ft) long, 102 metres (335 ft) wide, and has an elevation of 3.5 metres (11 ft) to 3.8 metres (12 ft) at [low tide](/source/Low_tide).[2] There is a 41 metres (135 ft) high light house on the islet.[3] Sand Cay is commonly confused with Sandy Cay which is a sandy [shoal](/source/Shoal) ([coral reef](/source/Coral_reef)) near [Thitu Island](/source/Thitu_Island).

In 2022, news reports indicated that the Vietnamese government was engaged in dredging and landfill operations to expand the size of Sand Cay, [Namyit Island](/source/Namyit_Island), and [Pearson Reef](/source/Pearson_Reef). The total area of the land reclaimed in these operations was estimated to be 170 hectares (420 acres). [4]

## Ecology

Sand Cay has no natural [fresh water](/source/Fresh_water). The islet's [coral sand](/source/Coral_sand) is covered with a thin layer of fertile [humus](/source/Humus) mixed with [guano](/source/Guano). The vegetation is mainly *[Barringtonia asiatica](/source/Barringtonia_asiatica)*, *[Ipomoea pes-caprae](/source/Ipomoea_pes-caprae)*, [Casuarinaceae](/source/Casuarinaceae) species and some grasses.[2] In recent years, islanders have cultivated [fruit trees](/source/Fruit_tree) such as [pomelo](/source/Pomelo), [jackfruit](/source/Jackfruit), [dragonfruit](/source/Pitaya), [sugar-apple](/source/Annona_squamosa) and [guava](/source/Psidium_guajava).[5] Sand Cay is usually visited by [seabirds](/source/Seabird), and its surrounding water is rich with fish, [sea snails](/source/Sea_snail) and [sea cucumbers](/source/Sea_cucumber).[2]

## See also

- [Great Wall of Sand](/source/Great_Wall_of_Sand)
- [List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands](/source/List_of_maritime_features_in_the_Spratly_Islands)
- [Spratly Islands dispute](/source/Spratly_Islands_dispute)
- [Truong Sa District](/source/Truong_Sa_District)

## References

1. ["Digital Gazetter of Spratly Islands"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100827072842/http://southchinasea.org/macand/gazetteer.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.southchinasea.org/macand/gazetteer.htm) on 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2008-03-22.

1. (in Vietnamese) *Những điều cần biết về hai quần đảo Hoàng Sa, Trường Sa và khu vực thềm lục địa phía nam [What you need to know about Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and southern continental shelf]*. Political Department, Naval Command (Vietnam). 2011.

1. (in Vietnamese) Phạm Thanh Hà; Lưu Phương Mai (May 9, 2011). ["Kí sự Trường Sa - kì 3: Nơi anh đến là biển xa..."](http://www.nhandan.org.vn/phongsu/ky-su/item/16372202-.html). Nhân dân online. Retrieved March 22, 2013.

1. ["Vietnam carries out 'substantial' expansion in South China Sea, US thinktank finds"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/15/vietnam-carries-out-substantial-expansion-in-south-china-sea-us-thinktank-finds). *The Guardian*. December 14, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2023.

1. (in Vietnamese) Nguyễn Đình Quân (December 27, 2011). ["Sơn Ca Xanh"](http://www.tienphong.vn/ban-doc/562422/Son-Ca-Xanh-tpp.html). Tiền phong online. Retrieved March 22, 2013.

## External links

- [Maritime Transparency Initiative Island Tracker](https://amti.csis.org/sand-cay/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sand Cay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_Cay) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_Cay?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.