Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Heard Island and McDonald Islands⌘K
Overview
- Background
- American sailor John HEARD discovered Heard Island in 1853 while fellow American William MCDONALD discovered the McDonald Islands the following year. Starting in 1855, sealers lived on the islands and harvested elephant seal oil; by the time the practice was ended in 1877, most of the islands’ seals were killed. The UK formally claimed the islands in 1910, and Australian explorer Douglas MAWSON visited Heard Island in 1929. In 1947, the UK transferred the islands to Australia for its Antarctica research, but Australia closed the research station on Heard Island in 1954 when it opened a new research station on the Antarctic continent. McDonald Island has been an active volcano since it emerged from dormancy in 1992, and the island doubled in size after an eruption in 1996. In 1997, the islands were named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Populated by a large number of bird species, seals, and penguins, the islands are primarily used for research, with limited fishing permitted in the surrounding waters.
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Geography
Area
- Land
- 412 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 412 sq km
- 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
Land Use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2011 est.)
- Location
- islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica
- Coastline
- 101.9 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Mawson Peak on Big Ben volcano 2,745 m
- Map references
- Antarctic Region
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Exclusive fishing zone
- 200 nm
- 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 m (9,006 ft), Mawson is taller than Mt. Kosciuszko in mainland Australia), and one of only two active volcanoes located in Australian territory; in 1992, McDonald Island, the other active volcano, broke its dormancy and began erupting; it has erupted several times since
- Natural resources
- fish
- Area comparative
- slightly more than two times the size of Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 53 06 S, 72 31 E
People & Society
Population
- Note
- note: limited scientific research and expeditions
- Total
- uninhabited
Government
- Flag
- the flag of Australia is used
Country Name
- Etymology
- named after US Captain John HEARD, who sighted the island on 25 November 1853, and US Captain William McDONALD, who discovered the islands on 4 January 1854
- Abbreviation
- HIMI
- Conventional long form
- Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Conventional short form
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Legal system
- the laws of Australia apply
- Dependency status
- territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment (Australian Antarctic Division)
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 1 (natural); note - excerpted from the Australia entry
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- none (territory of Australia)
Communications
- Internet country code
- .hm
Transport
- Heliports
- 2 (2025)
Environment
- Climate
- antarctic
Land Use
- Other
- 100% (2018 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2011 est.)
Military & Security
- Military note
- defense is the responsibility of Australia
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Heard Island and McDonald Islands — vintage 2026-Q1: Heard Island and McDonald Islands factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/heard-island-and-mcdonald-islands
Sources: CIA World Factbook