Heard Island and McDonald Islands Geography Profile 2007

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

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

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

Natural resources

fish

Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Natural hazards

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues

NA