Ashmore and Cartier Islands

The Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands are two groups of small low-lying uninhabited tropical islands in the Indian Ocean situated on the edge of the continental shelf north-west of Australia and south of the Indonesian island of Roti at 12°14′ S 123°5′ E (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=12_14_S_123_5_E_). Ashmore and Cartier Islands From PCL map collection This image is not licensed under the GFDL. It is under a non-commercial-use only licence. ... The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the one we live in by relatively shallow seas and gulfs. ... Rote Island (also spelled Roti) is an island of Indonesia, part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. ...

The territory includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island (70 km east) with, a total area of 199.45 km² within the reefs and including the lagoons, and 114,400 m² of dry land. While they have a total of 74.1 km of shoreline, measured along the outer edge of the reef, there are no ports or harbors, only offshore anchorage. Nearby Hibernia Reef, 42 km Northeast of Ashmore Reef, is not part of the territory. It has no permanently dry land area, although large parts of the reef become exposed during low tide. See lagoon (disambiguation) for other possible meanings. ...

• Ashmore Reef 155.40 km² area within reef (including lagoon)
  • West Islet, 51,200 m² land area;
  • Middle Islet, 21,200 m² land area;
  • East Islet, 25,000 m² land area;
• Cartier Reef (44.03 km² area within reef (including lagoon)
  • Cartier Island, 17,000 m² land area;

There is an automatic weather station on West Islet.

The territory is part of the Australian Northern Territory, and is administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories. The data code is AT. Defence is the responsibility of Australia, with periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. The islands are visited by seasonal caretakers. Motto: None Nickname: ? Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Administrator Chief Minister Const. ... Two of Canberras best-known landmarks, Parliament House and (foreground) Old Parliament House. ... The Royal Australian Navy (or RAN) is the navy of Australia and part of the Australian Defence Force. ... The RAAF Roundel is based on that of the British Royal Air Force, with the central circle replaced by a Kangaroo, a symbol of Australia. ...

The Ashmore Reef Marine National Nature Reserve was established in August 1983. It is of significant biodiversity value as it is in the flow of the Indonesian throughflow current from the Pacific Ocean through the Indonesian Archipelago to the Indian Ocean. It is also in a surface current west from the Arafura Sea and Timor Sea. There are 14 distinct species of sea snake in the area, more than in any other area. There is also an unusually high level of species diversity of coral, molluscs, and fish. A memorandum of understanding between the Australian and Indonesian governments allows Indonesian fishermen access to their traditional fishing grounds withing the region, subject to limits. 1983 is an integer and composite number that represents a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of and in living nature. ... The Indonesian Throughflow is an ocean current that transports water between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean through the Indonesian Archipelago. ... An ocean current is any more or less permanent or continuous, directed movement of ocean water that flows in one of the Earths oceans. ... The Malay Archipelago refers to the vast group of islands located between mainland Southeast Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ... The Arafura Sea is the body of water that lies between Australia and New Guinea. ... The Timor Sea is the stretch of the Pacific Ocean situated between the island of Timor, now split between the states of Indonesia and East Timor, and the Northern Territory of Australia. ... Sea snakes of several different species belong to a group related to the cobras but aquatic rather than land dwelling. ... Species diversity refers to the number and distribution of species in one location. ... Orders see Anthozoa zsnobordinkid505@aol. ... Classes Caudofoveata Aplacophora Polyplacophora - Chitons Monoplacophora Bivalvia - Bivalves Scaphopoda - Tusk shells Gastropoda - Snails and Slugs Cephalopoda - Squids, Octopuses, etc. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus, the most abundant fish species in the world. ...

Cartier Island Marine Reserve includes the entire sand cay of Cartier Island, the reef surrounding it, the ocean for a 7.2 km radius around the island, and 1000 m below the seafloor. It was proclaimed in 2000. 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There is no economic activity in the Territory.

As Ashmore Reef is the closest point of Australian territory to Indonesia, it has been a popular target for people smugglers to take asylum seekers to Australia. They were transported at great personal risk and expense in leaky fishing boats and dumped on the island, expecting to be rescued by Australia and granted refugee status there. As Australia was not the country of first asylum (http://refugeethesaurus.org/hms/refugee_obj.php?type=terms&id=2143) for these "boat people", Australia did not consider it had a responsibility to accept them. A number of things were done to discourage the practice such as attempting to have the people smugglers arrested in Indonesia; mandatory detention of all arrivals until their status could be determined; the so-called Pacific Solution of processing them in third countries; and finally excising these and many other small islands from the Australian migration zone. People smuggling is a term which is used to describe the illegal and organised smuggling of people across international boundaries, usually for financial gain. ... Boat people is a slang term (usually) referring to illegal immigrants or asylum seekers who arrive en masse in old or crudely made boats. ... In Australia, the term mandatory detention describes the legislation and actions of the Australian government to detain all persons entering the country by boat without a valid visa, including children. ... The Pacific Solution was the name given to the Australian government policy of diverting asylum seekers to detention camps on small island nations in the Pacific Ocean, rather than allowing them to land on the Australian mainland. ... The Australian migration zone refers to the parts of Australian territory where a non citizen must hold a visa to legally enter and remain. ...

External link

• Cartier Island Marine Reserve (http://ea.gov.au/coasts/mpa/cartier/)
• CIA - The World Factbook—Ashmore and Cartier Islands (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/at.html) - CIA's Factbook on Ashmore and Cartier Islands
• Geoscience Australia—Ashmore and Cartier Islands (http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/externalterr/ashmore.htm)
• Department of the Environment and Heritage—Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve (http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/mpa/ashmore/)

CIA, see CIA (disambiguation). ...