evidence: Travel Guide Overseas Territories Overseas Territories Ashmore and Cartier Islands The Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands is an uninhabited external territory of Australia consisting of four low-lying tropical islands in two separate reefs, and the 12 nautical mile territorial sea generated by the islands. The territory is located in the Indian Ocean situated on the edge of the continental shelf, about 320 kilometres off the northwest coast of Australia and 144 kilometres south of the Indonesian island of Rote. The territory includes 155.4 km2 Ashmore Reef (including West, Middle, and East Islands, and two lagoons within the reef) and 44.0 km2 Cartier Reef (including Cartier Island). They have a total of 74.1 km of shoreline, measured along the outer edge of the reef. There are no ports or harbours, only offshore anchorage.