An islet ( / ˈ aɪ l ə t / EYE -lət ) is generally a small island . Definitions vary, and are not precise, but some suggest that an islet is a very small, often unnamed, island with little or no vegetation to support human habitation . It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral ; may be permanent or tidal (i.e. surfaced reef or seamount ); and may exist in the sea , lakes , rivers or any other sizeable bodies of water .
6-511: Boundary Islet , historically known as North East Islet , is a 2-hectare (4.9-acre) islet in the Hogan Island Group of Bass Strait , at a latitude of 39°12′ S, about 56 kilometres (35 mi) east of the southernmost point of mainland Victoria . The islet straddles the maritime border of the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania , hence the name. Boundary Islet is divided in
12-733: Is generally considered to be a rock or small island that has little vegetation and cannot sustain human habitation", and further that size may vary from a few square feet to several square miles, with no specific rule pertaining to size. Whether an islet is considered a rock or not, it can have significant economic consequences under Article 121 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea , which stipulates that "Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf ." One long-term dispute over
18-461: The east–west direction at the latitude 39°12′ S, with the northern portion belonging to Victoria and the southern portion belonging to Tasmania. This is Tasmania's only land border, and at 85 metres (279 ft) long, it is the shortest land border between any two Australian states or territories. This situation is accidental, and arose as a result of an error made by Captain John Black , who surveyed
24-487: The position of the islet in 1801 and determined its latitude to be slightly farther north than it truly is. The boundary between Victoria and Tasmania was later set along the latitude of 39°12′ S, which was then thought to be completely south of Boundary Islet and not to traverse any land in Bass Strait. This would have made the islet completely within the jurisdiction of Victoria. However, when Boundary Islet's correct latitude
30-522: The status of such an islet was that of Snake Island (Black Sea) . The International Court of Justice jurisprudence however sometimes ignores islets, regardless of inhabitation status, in deciding territorial disputes; it did so in 2009 in adjudicating the Romania-Ukraine dispute , and previously in the dispute between Libya and Malta involving the islet of Filfla . There are thousands of islets on Earth: approximately 24,000 islands and islets in
36-534: Was later determined it was found to straddle the border. It is for this reason that what was once known as North East Islet (being situated in the north-east of the Hogan Group) came to be known as Boundary Islet. Islet As suggested by its origin islette , an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability. The World Landforms website says, "An islet landform
#789210