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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 412 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 203

Area - comparative:
slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
101.9 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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:
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m

Natural resources:
fish

Land use:
agricultural land: 0% arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 0%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 100% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
Mawson Peak on Heard Island is the highest Australian mountain (at 2,745 meters, it is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia proper), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory, the other being McDonald Island; in 1992, McDonald Island broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since, most recently in 2005