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Discovery Reef, part of the Paracel Islands, as seen from a satellite. Discovery Reef is one of the larger reef groups to the south-west of the islands.

Green and Hawksbill Turtles are often found nesting on the Spratly Islands, especially those which remain uninhabited by humans.

An annotated map of the Spratly Islands, showing all nations laying claim to and occupying the range of islands stretching across the South China Sea.

A red-footed booby chick. These birds are often found nesting on the Spratly Islands, where they spend time nesting and wintering on the smaller and less disturbed islands.

An aerial view of the Crescent Group of Paracel Islands: Drummond Island is the largest, with Money Island at the top of the group and Observation Bank to the right.

A tanker off the coast of Hainan prepares to sail across the South China Sea. More than 250 cargo ships and containers pass through the Spratly Island area every day.

One of the Spratly Islands off the coast of the Philippines, near northern Palawan where significant offshore oil and gas deposits have been discovered.

A map of the South China Sea, showing the disputed Paracel and Spratly islands, and highlighting the known oil and gas reserves across the region.

Vietnamese troops parading on Changsha (one of the Spratly Islands). The ownership of the islands is disputed between China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

A satellite image of a cay which makes up part of the Spratly Islands, more than 1,000km south of Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

A Dutch map from 1754 depicting the coast of China and Vietnam with Hainan and the Paracel and Spratly Islands. The islands are surrounded by a dotted line in the centre of the map.

Swallow's Reef Island, one of the Spratly Islands currently claimed by Malaysia. The Malaysian Navy has held an offshore post here since 1983, hence the island's airstrip and reclaimed land.

A Vietnamese propaganda poster declaring ownership of the Paracel and Spratly Islands. Ownership of the islands is disputed by a number of countries, including China and Vietnam.

A rubber planation in Hainan. Hainan Island is still China's largest producer and source of rubber, with the trees grown from seedlings imported from Malaysia in the early 20th century.

Scarecrows flutter across paddy rice fields in Changjiang county, western Hainan. Unlike elsewhere in China, many of the paddy fields are on flat plains rather than steeply stepped into the hillside.

Yalong Bay, the most popular Hainanese resort. The Chinese government is keen to promote Hainan as a tourist destination, with its pristine white beaches and tropical climate.

Traditional wooden fishing boats, also often used as residences, jostle up against the tall apartment blocks of Sanya city on the island's south shore, the most southerly city in China.

The Chinese Government's promotion of tourism in Hainan has led to a recent property boom and investment in luxury hotels and apartments.

A mountain village near Sanya in the south of Hainan Island. More intrepid tourists are drawn inland from the beaches to explore the lush tropical forests and small villages therein.

A street vendor selling seashells walks a tourist beach along the south coast of the island. Hainan is rapidly being developed as a tourist destination by the Chinese Government.

Bright baskets of spices and chillies, including the famous Hainan Yellow Lantern Chilli, await sale in Haikou market. Agriculture still plays an important part in Hainan's economy.

The capital city of Haikou, although highly populated relative to many other international cities, is quite compact, with almost no urban sprawl. Much of the city limits end abruptly with forest or farm land.

A topographic map of Hainan. Agriculture dominated the north-eastern lowlands and southern mountain valleys. Most of the industry and population is found along the northern coast.

A south coast pavilion off Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya province. The beautiful coastline and pristine white sand beaches are the focus of Hainan's appeal to tourists.

A range of transport in Central Hainan. Hainan's industrial areas are to the north of the island, with central lowlands covered by farmland and tourist beaches along the south coast.

The bright green patchwork of rice paddy fields carpets the land in front of Sanya airport, in the south of the island. Hainan Island retains a strong dependence on an agricultural economy.

A Hainanese fisherman gathers mussels and shellfish from his latest catch to display in tanks, keeping them fresh for sale to restaurants or customers.

The "Temple of the Heavenly Queen", built in 1866, dedicated to Mazu, the patron saint of seafarers. Many Hainanese fisherman worship here to seek Mazu's protection.

Hongshui village in Changjiang county, at the western end of Hainan Island. Many of the communities on Hainan are still quite rural and preserve their own dialects and traditions.

A Hainanese opera, "The Wedding of the Naughty Princess", shares many traditions with similar Chinese operas used during times of celebration.

Locally grown tropical fruit for sale in Hainan. Hainan produces a huge range of delicious fruit from custard apples to guavas, star fruit and lychees and is China's leading producer of pineapples.

Hainanese children play and wave to visitors in a small coastal village on Hainan Island. The south of the island receives many more tourists than the inland villages or the more populated north.

A statue of Confucius (also known as Kong Zi) in Weichang village, Hainan Island. Confucius is central to many Chinese teachings and beliefs, also echoed by those adopted by the Hainanese people.

Students at Dongfang Railway Middle School (on the west coast) assembled for their daily morning exercise routine. Group exercise involving movement such as tai chi is common across China.

The people of Hainan have been influenced by a huge range of cultures from the surrounding regions, including China, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

The Tomb of Hai Rui, in Haikou. Hai Rui was a Ming Dynasty local official who was famous for his devotion to Hainanese causes and for his willingness to speak out on behalf of the people.

A “village on the sea” off the port of Sanya in southern Hainan. Many fisherman and their families live on their traditional boats, which are also used daily for fishing off the coast of the island.

An alleyway in old Hainan - the growing modern towns of Haikou and Sanya still encompass traditional ways of life, and often the city boundaries abruptly end and turn into pastures or open countryside.

A grand Hainanese temple. It is easy to see from the air the strong influences of Chinese architecture in Hainan - many of these temples echo the themes and styles found across mainland China.