ocr: ASHMORE & CARTIER ISLANDS Status: Australian external territory Claimed: 1978 Capital: None Population: None - - LYING IN THE TIMOR SEA, the three Ashmore Islets and Cartier Island are separated by 37 miles of water, and cover a land area of2 sq.miles. They are governed from Darwin, capital of the Northern Temtones,nearly 500 miles to the west. Under an agreement with the Australian government, the sand and coral islands' waters are fished by Indonesians. However, reports of overhshing have led the goverment to monitor their activities. In1983 Ashmore Reef was made a nature reserve.
