Sansha

Sansha is a prefecture-level city under Hainan province, China. It is the southernmost and least populated prefecture in the country, with the smallest land area but the largest maritime territory. Its administrative seat sits on Yongxing Island in the South China Sea, and it administers island groups, atolls and other maritime features within the nine-dash line, though the extent of actual control varies. Its name means three sands, for the three archipelago districts of Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha it governs.