ARCHIVE // HM // 1998
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
1998 Edition — territory
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Economy
Economic overview
(Economy-overview)
[time series]
no economic activity
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
(Area-comparative)
[time series]
slightly more than 2 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
[time series]
antarctic
Coastline
[time series]
101.9 km
Elevation
(Elevation extremes)
[time series]
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Environment - current issues
(Environment-current issues)
[time series]
NA
International environmental agreements
(Environment-international agreements)
[time series]
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
53 06 S, 72 31 E
Geography - note
(Geography-note)
[time series]
primarily used for research stations
Irrigated land
[time series]
0 sq km (1993)
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
[time series]
Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
Map references
[time series]
Antarctic Region
Maritime claims
[time series]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural hazards
[time series]
Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
Natural resources
[time series]
none
Terrain
[time series]
Heard Island-bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands-small and rocky
Government
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Data code
[time series]
HM
Dependency status
[time series]
territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
none (territory of Australia)
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
the flag of Australia is used
Legal system
[time series]
NA
Military
Military - note
(Military-note)
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of Australia
People
Population
[time series]
uninhabited
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
(Disputes-international)
[time series]
none HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY) Holy See (Vatican City) Holy See (Vatican City)
Transportation
Ports
(Ports and harbors)
[time series]
none; offshore anchorage only