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Heard Island and McDonald Islands
(territory of Australia)
Country Flag of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Geography
People
Government
Economy
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
Country map of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Geography

Location: Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 412 sq km
land: 412 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 101.9 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: Heard Island—bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands—small and rocky

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben

Environment—current issues: NA

Environment—international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography—note: primarily used for research stations

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Data code: HM

Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy

Economy—overview: no economic activity

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military

Military—note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: none


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