Flag | |
Quick Facts | |
Capital | administered from Canberra |
Government | territory of Australia |
Currency | Local currency (ABC) |
Area | 5 sq km |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants; Indonesian fishermen access lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Islet |
Language | Bahasa Indonesia, English (official) |
Religion | NA |
Time Zone | UTC +10 |
Ashmore and Cartier Islands are a territory off the northwest coast of Australia.
These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.