SELECT EDITION
◆ ECONOMY(1 fields)
Economic overview
no economic activity
◆ GEOGRAPHY(15 fields)
Area
total area: 412 sq km land area: 412 sq km comparative area: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
antarctic
Coastline
101.9 km
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben international agreements: NA
Geographic coordinates
53 06 S, 72 31 E
Geographic note
primarily used for research stations
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Map references
Antarctic Region
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural resources
none
Terrain
Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
◆ GOVERNMENT(6 fields)
Capital
none; administered from Canberra, Australia
Data code
HM
Flag
the flag of Australia is used
Independence
none (territory of Australia)
Name of country
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Type of government
territory of Australia administered by the Ministry for Environment, Sport, and Territories
◆ PEOPLE(1 fields)
Population
uninhabited
◆ TRANSPORTATION(2 fields)
Defense note
defense is the responsibility of Australia
Ports
none; offshore anchorage only Defense