Collins Reef
Reef in the South China Sea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Collins Reef, also known as Johnson North Reef/Johnson Reef North; Vietnamese: Đá Cô Lin; Roxas Reef (Filipino: Bahura ng Roxas); Mandarin Chinese: 鬼喊礁; pinyin: Guǐhǎn Jiāo, is a Vietnamese occupied and controlled reef and the westernmost feature of Union Banks Atoll near the centre of Dangerous Ground in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.[1] It is also claimed by China (PRC), Taiwan (ROC), and the Philippines.
Johnson North Reef
Đá Cô Lin (Vietnamese)
Roxas Reef (Philippine English)
Bahura ng Roxas (Filipino)
鬼喊礁 Guǐhǎn Jiāo (Chinese)
| Disputed reef | |
|---|---|
Collins Reef | |
  Collins Reef | |
| Other names | Johnson North Reef Đá Cô Lin (Vietnamese) Roxas Reef (Philippine English) Bahura ng Roxas (Filipino) 鬼喊礁 Guǐhǎn Jiāo (Chinese) |
| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 09°46′26″N 114°15′20″E |
| Archipelago | Spratly Islands |
| Area | 5 ha (12 acres) |
| Administration | |
| District | Trường Sa District |
| Commune | Sinh Tồn Commune |
| Claimed by | |
Cô Lin Reef is located 8.1 nautical miles (15 km) southwest of Sinh Tồn Island, approximately 3.9 nautical miles (7.2 km) northwest of Gạc Ma Reef, and 7 nautical miles (13 km) west of Len Đao Reef. It is essentially a triangular coral reef with slightly curved sides, each side measuring approximately 1 nautical mile in length. This reef is submerged underwater during high tide and only a few rocks emerge during low tide.[2] The area of the Cô Lin Reef coral reef is approximately 2.05 km2.[3]
Administrative maps[4] all use the proper noun “Cô Lin” while the common noun used to describe the entity is “reef.” Geographically, Cô Lin Reef is not an island but a coral reef.
The area features the Cô Lin Island architectural complex, comprising a military outpost connected by a bridge to a multi-purpose cultural center (constructed and completed in 2017, inaugurated in 2018)[5] located 65 meters away. The geographical coordinates inscribed on the sovereignty marker of Cô Lin Island are 9°46′25″N 114°15′19″E.
In June 2025, Vietnam began land reclamation and expansion activities at Cô Lin Island. By 2025, the approximate area of the island will be 5 hectares.[6]
Location
Collins Reef lies at 9°46′26″N 114°15′20″E (9.7738889°N 114.2555556°E), to the northwest of Johnson South Reef, at the southwestern corner of the Union Banks.[7]
