Ashmore and Cartier Islands Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Location

Southeastern 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 coordinates

12 25 S, 123 20 E

note - Ashmore Reef - 12 14 S, 123 05 E; Cartier Islet - 12 32 S, 123 32 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Area

total: 5 sq km

land: 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island

Area - comparative

about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

74.1 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

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

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical

Terrain

low with sand and coral

Elevation

highest point: Cartier Island 5 m

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

fish

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)

Natural hazards

surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Geography - note

Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000

NOTE: The information regarding Ashmore and Cartier Islands on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ashmore and Cartier Islands 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ashmore and Cartier Islands 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.