The Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs on Australian external territories like Heard and McDonald Islands, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island (10%), and Norfolk Island (29%) seems largely symbolic, especially for places like Heard and McDonald, which have no residents and no exports to speak of.
Heard and McDonald Islands:
- Location & Geography: Located in the remote southern Indian Ocean, these sub-Antarctic islands are about 4,100 km southwest of Perth and 1,600 km north of Antarctica.
- Ecology: They are incredibly isolated and untouched, with no permanent human presence, covered in glaciers and volcanic formations. Big Ben, an active volcano, dominates Heard Island.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1997): They are among the rare places on Earth with ecosystems completely free from human-introduced species and pollutants.
Norfolk Island Exception:
- Norfolk Island, with a population of around 2,200 people, is actually inhabited and has some tourism and small-scale exports, yet received a higher tariff (29%). The rationale behind differentiating its rate from other territories is unclear, but it could stem from specific trade codes or classifications.
(Sources: BBC and UNESCO)
