Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
The Ashmore and Cartier Islands [ æʃmɔ ː ɹ - ] (English Ashmore and Cartier Islands ) are an Australian external territory and consist of a collection of small sand islands and reefs. They are located in the Indian Ocean about 340 kilometers off the northwest coast of the Australian continent and about 160 kilometers southwest of the Indonesian part of the island of Timor. The islands and reefs are uninhabited.
Geography
For territory includes the Ashmore Islands (also known as Ashmore Reef ), consisting of three Sandinselchen (West, Middle and East Island ), a lagoon and a reef, and the Cartier Island situated 60 kilometers south east. The total area of the region (including the reefs and lagoons ) is nearly 200 km ²; of which only about 0.114 km ² ( 11.4 ha) on dry land. Located 40 km east before Ashmore Reef, Hibernia, however not one of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands.
History
The Ashmore Islands in 1878, the Cartier Island in 1909 by Britain annexed. Officially, the uninhabited islands came on 23 July 1931 Australian control; the act, however, was not completed until 10 May 1934. In 1938, the Ashmore and Cartier Islands part of the Northern Territory. In July 1978, the 5 km ² large islands independently as " Ashmore and Cartier Islands Territory ", but under the state administration of the " Department of Home Affairs" based in the Australian capital Canberra.
Wildlife and environmental protection
Ashmore Reef is inhabited by a large number of birds and fish. Due to the special biodiversity of the reef, it was declared on 16 August 1983, the National Nature Reserve. Indonesia has laid claim to the territory of Ashmore Reef. Australia has the waters for Indonesian fishermen in total blocked and allowed for a Memorandum of Understanding of November 1974 only to drinking water include partial access on the west Iceland to visit the graves of their ancestors or to find protection. Australia has expanded the local marine reserve for Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve and Cartier Iceland Marine Reserve.
Raw materials
The recent geological studies have shown promising evidence of oil deposits.