Home > Factbook > Countries > Heard Island and McDonald Islands
| 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 land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries | total: 0 km |
| Coastline | 101.9 km |
| 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 | highest point: Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m |
| Natural resources | fish |
| Land use | agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.) |
| Natural hazards | Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island |
| 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, most recently in 2005 |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
