Heard Is and McDonald Islands Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

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

total: 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

highest point: Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

fish

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2011 est.)

other: 100% (2018 est.)

Natural hazards

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

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

NOTE: The information regarding Heard Is and McDonald 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 Heard Is and McDonald Islands 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Heard Is and McDonald Islands 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.