The South China Sea, spread over an area of 3.477 million sq km, is one of the most resource-rich marine areas in the world. It has known reserves of 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 11 billion barrels of oil,[1] and is home to diverse ecosystems[2] with 3,000 species of fish and 600 species of coral reef, a variety of mangrove and seagrass species, and turtles and seabirds that use the islands for resting, breeding, and wintering. The waters are bordered by China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.