Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Indonesian fishermen have long fished in the area around Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island. British explorers were the first Europeans to see Cartier Island and Ashmore Reef in 1800 and 1811, respectively. American whalers frequently sailed by the islands in the 1850s and later settled to mine the phosphate deposits on Ashmore Reef, which were exhausted by 1891. The UK disputed US access to Ashmore Reef and formally annexed it in 1878. Cartier Island was annexed in 1909. In 1931, the UK transferred the islands to Australia, which accepted them in 1934 as part of Western Australia. In 1938, Australia transferred governance to the Northern Territory. During World War II, Cartier Island was used as a bombing range. In 1978, governance of Ashmore and Cartier Islands was moved to the federal government. Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island became marine reserves in 1983 and 2000 respectively.
In 1974, Australia and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to allow Indonesian fishermen to continue fishing around the islands. The MOU also allows Indonesian fishermen to visit the graves of past fishermen, replenish their fresh water, and shelter in the West Island Lagoon of Ashmore Reef. In the 1990s, Indonesia challenged Australia’s claim to the islands, which was settled in a maritime boundary treaty in 1997. The islands were a popular first point of contact for migrants and refugees seeking to enter Australia, so in 2001, Australia declared the islands to be outside the Australian migration zone.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 5 sq km
- Note
- note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 5 sq km
- Climate
- tropical
- Terrain
- low with sand and coral
Land Use
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2018 est.)
- 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
- Coastline
- 74.1 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- Highest point
- Cartier Island 5 m
- Map references
- Southeast Asia
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 0 km
Maritime Claims
- Contiguous zone
- 24 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
- Exclusive fishing zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards
- Geography note
- Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in 1983; Cartier Island Marine Reserve established in 2000
- Natural resources
- fish
- Area comparative
- about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Geographic coordinates
- 12 25 S, 123 20 E
People & Society
Population
- Note
- note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island; access to East and Middle Islands is by permit only
- Total
- no permanent inhabitants
Government
- Flag
- the flag of Australia is used
- Citizenship
- see Australia
Country Name
- Etymology
- named after British Captain Samuel ASHMORE, who first sighted the island in 1811, and after the ship Cartier, from which the second island was discovered in 1800
- Conventional long form
- Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
- Conventional short form
- Ashmore and Cartier Islands
- Legal system
- the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply
- Dependency status
- territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- none (territory of Australia)
Environment
- Climate
- tropical
Land Use
- Agricultural land
- 0% (2018 est.)
- Environmental issues
- illegal killing of protected wildlife; overfishing; sea-level rise, changes in sea temperature, and ocean acidification; marine debris
Military & Security
- Military note
- defense is the responsibility of Australia
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Ashmore and Cartier Islands — vintage 2026-Q1: Ashmore and Cartier Islands factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/ashmore-and-cartier-islands
Sources: CIA World Factbook