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Ashmore and Cartier Islands Geography Profile

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LocationSoutheastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island; Ashmore Reef is 840 km west of Darwin and 610 km north of Broome; Cartier Islet is 70 km east of Ashmore Reef
Geographic coordinates12 25 S, 123 20 E

note - Ashmore Reef - 12 14 S, 123 05 E; Cartier Islet - 12 32 S, 123 32 E
Map referencesSoutheast Asia
Areatotal: 5 sq km

land: 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island
Area - comparativeabout eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundariestotal: 0 km
Coastline74.1 km
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climatetropical
Terrainlow with sand and coral
Elevation extremeshighest point: Cartier Island 5 m

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Natural resourcesfish
Land useagricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)
Natural hazardssurrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards
Geography - noteAshmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000

Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021