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Heard Island and McDonald Islands in the Southern Ocean A map of Heard Island and McDonald Islands. Heard Island, by far the largest of the group, is a 368-square-kilometre (142 sq mi) mountainous island covered by 41 glaciers (the island is 80% covered with ice) and dominated by the Big Ben massif.
- 368 km² (142 sq mi)
- 0 (2011)
Heard and McDonald Islands are remote sub-Antarctic volcanic islands with unique wildlife and geological features. They are the only sub-Antarctic islands free of alien species and human impact, and provide valuable insights into climate change and oceanic processes.
May 1, 2024 · Learn about the history, geography, and environment of these remote and uninhabited islands in the Indian Ocean. Find out how they are administered by Australia and used for research and fishing.
The McDonald Islands ( 53°3′34.9″S 72°35′32.2″E) is an uninhabited archipelago in the southern Indian Ocean in the vicinity of Heard Island ( 53°06′S 73°31′E ). Together with Heard Island, they make up the Australian external territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands. The McDonald Islands are the emergent peaks of submarine ...
- 230 m (750 ft)
- Complex volcano
- July 2005
Heard Island and McDonald Islands, subantarctic island groups, together forming an external territory of Australia and lying in the southern Indian Ocean 2,500 miles (4,000 km) southwest of Perth. Volcanic in origin, Heard Island is 27 miles (43 km) long, 13 miles (21 km) wide, and rises to 9,005 feet (2,745 metres) at Mawson Peak on Big Ben ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about the sub-Antarctic island group of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, their location, climate, wildlife, research and human activities. Find out how to visit, explore and stay on the islands, and discover the Australian Antarctic Science Program and its projects.
The McDonald Islands are small, rocky and actively volcanic. The islands are populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, and have been designated a nature reserve. There are 4 types of penguins that are located on Heard Island. With the only two active volcanoes in Australian territory the islands are situated on the Kerguelen Plateau.
