Trivia in Heard and McDonald Islands

Learn fascinating facts and trivia about this country

Africa / Indian Ocean Islands

National symbols

Flag: No official territorial flag is designated; the Australian flag is used alternatively

Heard and McDonald Islands Flag

Emblem: No specific emblem exists

Trivia & facts

  • Mawson Peak is Australia's highest active volcano
  • There has never been permanent human habitation on the islands
  • Rated as one of the world's least impacted by invasive species
  • The surrounding waters lie just north of the Antarctic Convergence Zone with rich biological productivity
  • The .hm domain has only about 10,000 registrations worldwide, making it a rare TLD
  • The island names derive from whaling captains John Heard and William McDonald
  • When inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 1997, it met two natural criteria
  • Average annual precipitation days number about 300, with fog or rain observed almost daily
  • The nearest inhabited place is France's Kerguelen Islands (approximately 450 km away)
  • The entire island is designated IUCN Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve)

Back to list