Location: Southeastern Asia, in the Indian Ocean, 320 km off the northwest coast of Australia, between Australia and Indonesia

Map references: Oceania, Southeast Asia

Area:
total area: 5 sq km
land area: 5 sq km
comparative area: about 8.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 74.1 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploration
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical

Terrain: low with sand and coral

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all grass and sand)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs
international agreements: NA

Note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

NOTE: The information regarding Ashmore and Cartier Islands on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ashmore and Cartier Islands Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ashmore and Cartier Islands Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.