412 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than two times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 101.9 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: antarctic
Terrain: Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Southern Ocean 0 m
highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: primarily used for research stations
Heard Island and McDonald Islands People
Population: uninhabited (July 2001 est.)
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and
McDonald Islands
conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from
Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)
Flag description: the flag of Australia is used
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Economy
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Communications
Internet country code: .hm
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Transportation
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia
Heard Island and McDonald Islands Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
======================================================================
@Holy See (Vatican City)
Holy See (Vatican City) Introduction
Background: Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Vatican and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Holy See (Vatican City) Geography
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: low hill
Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural resources: none
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (urban area)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Geography - note: urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
Holy See (Vatican City) People
Population:
