Ashmore and Cartier Islands facts for kids
The Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands is a special area made up of two groups of small, flat, tropical islands. These islands are not lived on by people. They are located in the Indian Ocean, to the northwest of Australia. They are also south of the Indonesian island of Roti.
The Australian mainland is about 340 kilometers (210 miles) to the southwest. The island of Timor, with Roti next to it, is about 160 kilometers (99 miles) to the north. This territory includes Ashmore Reef, which has West, Middle, and East Islets. It also includes Cartier Island, which is about 70 kilometres (40 mi) east of Ashmore Reef.
The total area of the reefs and lagoons is about 199.45 square kilometres (77.0 sq mi). The dry land area is much smaller. The islands have a long coastline, over 74 kilometres (46 mi). However, there are no ports or harbors. Ships can only anchor offshore. Nearby, Hibernia Reef is about 42 kilometres (26 mi) northeast of Ashmore Reef. This reef is not part of the territory. This is because it does not have any land that stays dry all the time. Large parts of Hibernia Reef do show during low tide.
How the Islands are Managed
The Ashmore and Cartier Islands are managed by the Australian government. They are looked after from Canberra, which is Australia's capital city. The specific group in charge is the Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage.
Because of this, the territory is considered a dependency. This means it relies on Australia for its management. It is also part of the Commonwealth. The islands are visited by people who act as caretakers. These caretakers usually visit during certain seasons.
Images for kids
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Ashmore and Cartier Islands
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Cartier Island and surrounding reef (NASA satellite image)
See also
In Spanish: Territorio de las Islas Ashmore y Cartier para niños
