His name was Tomas Cloma. He noticed that a massive chunk of coral reefs and islands in the South China Sea, now known globally as the Spratly Islands were completely left off international government maps after WWII.
Cloma didn't wait for permission. He chartered a private training ship, sailed out with a crew of maritime students, and systematically claimed a 60,000-square-mile territory of the ocean.
He named his new micro-nation "The Free Territory of Freedomland" (Freedomland) and officially sent letters to the United Nations and the Philippine government announcing his independence as the Head of State.
His private stunt instantly woke up the military superpowers of Asia. Vietnam, China, and Taiwan suddenly realized the strategic and economic value of the territory.
To prevent an all-out international war, Cloma eventually surrendered his entire "kingdom" to the Philippine government for the symbolic price of just one single peso. That crazy, independent voyage is the exact historical reason why the West Philippine Sea territory belongs to our maps today.
The Spratly Islands are a highly contested archipelago in the South China Sea. The chain comprises more than 100 small islands, reefs, and atolls surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves. The islands are claimed wholly or in part by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei.
Geopolitics and Territorial Disputes
Because of the strategic location of the islands along critical global shipping lanes, the region is a constant focal point of geopolitical tension.
- Claimants: China, Taiwan, and Vietnam claim the entirety of the archipelago. The Philippines claims portions (which it designates as the Kalayaan Island Group), and Malaysia claims several reefs in the southern region. Brunei claims a maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that overlaps with a southern reef but does not claim the land features themselves.
- Occupied Features: Approximately 45 islands and reefs are garrisoned by military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
- Land Reclamation: Tensions escalated significantly in the 21st century as several countries—most notably China and Vietnam—dredged sand to create large artificial islands equipped with military bases, airstrips, and port facilities.
Key Physical Features
The archipelago spans roughly 150,000 square miles of ocean, but its actual dry land area is tiny—about 4 square miles in total.
- Itu Aba (Taiping Island): The largest naturally occurring feature in the Spratly chain, with an area of about 90 acres (0.4 square kilometers). It is controlled by Taiwan.
- Thitu Island (Pagasa Island): The largest of the Philippine-occupied features. It serves as an administrative and military hub, housing a civilian community, a runway, and a harbor
- Submerged Features: The vast majority of the Spratlys are submerged reefs and atolls that only surface during low tide.
For a visual breakdown of how the different countries have divided and occupied the Spratly Islands over the years:
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