Trump's tariffs extend to uninhabited islands and remote allies
On Wednesday, Donald Trump signed a tariff list that included the world's most remote corners, even uninhabited islands like Heard and McDonald Islands. This region is home only to penguins and seals.
What you need to know
- American tariffs have reached uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands, which belong to Australia, imposing a 10% tax on all exported goods.
- Falklands have been hit with a 41% tariff on exports to the USA, despite their main export products being mussels and frozen fish.
- Myanmar, struggling with reconstruction after an earthquake, now faces a 44% tariff on exports to the United States.
It's unclear why American tariffs target uninhabited islands
American tariffs, introduced by President Donald Trump, extend even to the world's most distant and uninhabited places. Heard and McDonald Islands, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, are subjected to a 10% tax on all exports, despite being home only to seals, penguins, and birds. A similar situation applies to the Cocos Islands, but around 600 people live there.
Falklands and Myanmar on the tariff list
According to the AFP agency, the Falklands have also been affected by a 41% tariff on exports to the USA. This is particularly harmful for this territory, which primarily exports mussels and frozen fish. The Falklands, with a population of 3,200 and about one million penguins, ranked 173rd in the world for exports, amounting to approximately CAD 432 million in 2019. Meanwhile, Argentina, which claims rights to the Falklands, is only subjected to a 10% tariff.
Myanmar, still rebuilding after an earthquake that killed nearly 3,000 people, now faces a 44% tariff on exports to the USA.
