Internet country code [time series]

.hm

Climate [time series]

antarctic

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.)

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate [time series]

antarctic

Coastline [time series]

101.9 km

Elevation [time series]

highest point: Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates [time series]

53 06 S, 72 31 E

Geography - note [time series]

Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain; at 2,745 m (9,006 ft), Mawson is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in mainland Australia), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory; in 1992, McDonald Island, the other active volcano, broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 0 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.) other: 100% (2018 est.)

Location [time series]

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]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Natural resources [time series]

fish

Terrain [time series]

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

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands abbreviation: HIMI etymology: named after US Captain John HEARD, who sighted the island on 25 November 1853, and US Captain William McDONALD, who discovered the islands on 4 January 1854

Dependency status [time series]

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment (Australian Antarctic Division)

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

embassy: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (territory of Australia)

Flag [time series]

the flag of Australia is used

Legal system [time series]

the laws of Australia apply

National heritage [time series]

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural); note - excerpted from the Australia entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background [time series]

American sailor John HEARD discovered Heard Island in 1853 while fellow American William MCDONALD discovered the McDonald Islands the following year. Starting in 1855, sealers lived on the islands and harvested elephant seal oil; by the time the practice was ended in 1877, most of the islands seals were killed. The UK formally claimed the islands in 1910, and Australian explorer Douglas MAWSON visited Heard Island in 1929. In 1947, the UK transferred the islands to Australia for its Antarctica research, but Australia closed the research station on Heard Island in 1954 when it opened a new research station on the Antarctic continent. McDonald Island has been an active volcano since it emerged from dormancy in 1992, and the island doubled in size after an eruption in 1996. In 1997, the islands were named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Populated by a large number of bird species, seals, and penguins, the islands are primarily used for research, with limited fishing permitted in the surrounding waters.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of Australia

Population [time series]

total: uninhabited note: limited scientific research and expeditions

Heliports [time series]

2 (2025)