Location Southern Africa, 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 2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 101.9 km

Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate antarctic

Terrain Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources none

Land use
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%

Irrigated land 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben

Environment - current issues NA

Environment - international agreements
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note primarily used for research stations

NOTE: The information regarding Heard Island and McDonald Islands on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Heard Island and McDonald Islands Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Heard Island and McDonald Islands Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.