South China Sea Map
The South China Sea is a sea of about 3,500,000 km² (1,350,000 sq mi), bordered by 8 countries and territories. This map shows the South China Sea highlighted in blue on shaded relief, with the surrounding coasts, rivers, borders and major cities.
How to read this map
The South China Sea covers about 3,500,000 km² (1,350,000 sq mi) and reaches a maximum depth of about 5,559 m (18,238 ft). Countries with a coast on the South China Sea: Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia.
The blue outline marks the South China Sea as mapped by Natural Earth. Towns and cities on the map include Shanghai, Manila, Jakarta, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Taipei and Bangkok. Labeled countries: Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia.
Greens show lower elevations; tan and brown show higher land, with pale tones toward the highest terrain. Shadows emphasize the slopes, and vertical relief is exaggerated so landforms are easier to read. Dashed lines show country borders.
The relief uses Terrain Tiles (SRTM, GMTED2010 and ETOPO1 elevation data). Rivers, lakes, borders and the outline of the South China Sea come from Natural Earth, and the figures on this page from Wikidata. Natural Earth draws features at a small scale, so the outline is a guide to where the South China Sea is, not a surveyed boundary.
Blank physical map
The blank version keeps the mapped features and removes the place labels. Download it for a geography worksheet or practice identifying the features.
South China Sea facts
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Area | 3,500,000 km² (1,350,000 sq mi) |
| Maximum depth | 5,559 m (18,238 ft) |
| Coastal countries | Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia |
Data sources and license
- Natural Earth (public-domain geography): Public domain.
- Terrain Tiles / Mapzen (SRTM, GMTED2010, ETOPO1): Open elevation data; source attribution retained.
- Wikidata (lengths, areas, countries and other facts): CC0 1.0.
Map design and rendered images: Atlas of Maps, CC BY 4.0. Source databases retain their own licenses; the map license does not replace them.
Maps of the coastal countries: Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia. Compare with the map of the five oceans.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the South China Sea?
The South China Sea covers about 3,500,000 km² (1,350,000 sq mi); its maximum depth is about 5,559 m (18,238 ft).
Which countries border the South China Sea?
Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia.
Can I download a blank map of the South China Sea?
Yes. The blank version keeps the relief, rivers and borders and the highlighted sea but removes the place names. Both versions are free to download as PNG and as an A4 PDF.
Use this map
You can download, print and share this map for free, in class, in school projects, in presentations and on websites, as long as you credit the source: South China Sea Map · Atlas of Maps (atlasofmaps.com), license CC BY 4.0.
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