Page last updated on November 17,

Location:
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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 202
land: 412 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
101.9 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 100% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
0 sq km
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, the most recent being in 2005