The new duties announced by Donald Trump during the so -called “Liberation Day” On April 2, small uninhabited islands also came to hit the Antarctic region. Scrolling through the list of state countries or entities affected by duties, in fact, it emerged that from 5 April they will be the subject of 10% duties also the goods imported to the United States from Heard islands and McDonald. Do not be surprised if you have never heard them appoint: these are remote territorial entities, uninhabited for at least 10 years, in the middle of the Antarctic Ocean between Australia, to which they belong, and the Madagascar, which can only be reached with a week of navigation from the city of Perth and now populated by different species of penguins.
The duties in the Heard and McDonald islands: what we know
The amazing thing is that, as the CNN writes, Each economic activity on the two islands ceased in 1877with the end of the trade of marine elephant oil, and that the last inhabitants of the islands have left them about ten years ago. It remains to be understood with what parameter the American experts have come to consider Heard and McDonald as territories capable of generating a commercial deficit with Washington.
The territory has only a fishing area, but according to the data of the World Bank, the United States imported 1.4 million dollars US products from the Heard and McDonald islands in 2022, almost all classified as imports of “machinery and electrical equipment”. It is not yet clear of what kind of goods it is specifically. As the Australian Prime Minister summarized with a joke Anthony Albaneseit is clear that against Trump’s duties “No place on earth is safe».
Remote Pacific Islands and Coral Atolls are also affected
The Heard and McDonald are not the only ones affected by the duties proclaimed on April 2. It also touched at Cocos Islands (always linked to Australia), an archipelago inhabited by 600 people which sends 32% of its exports to the United States (mainly ships) and which will now be taxed at 10%. Same percentage is touched by the three coral atoline of Tokelauan autonomous territory of New Zealand from about 1600 inhabitants which is found in the southern Pacific. With an economy of 8 million dollars a year And exports for 100,000 dollars, it will be affected by duties starting from April 5.
Much worse went toNorfolk islandalways dependent on Australia, affected by duties that reached 29% (19% more than Australia itself). With a population less than 2200 inhabitantsthe island in 2023 exported – according to the administration of Washington – goods in the United States for a value of 655,000 dollars. As he said to the Guardian George Plantadministrator of the island on behalf of the Australian government: “There are no exports known by the Norfolk Island to the United States and there are no duties or non -tariff commercial barriers known on the goods coming from us”.
The case of Jan Mayen and Saint Pierre and Miqualon
Moving from the Pacific Ocean, the case of the small Norwegian island of Jan Mayenlocated at the limit between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Glaiale. Former whale station, today uninhabited With the exception of some soldiers who stay in rotation for short periods of time, it will be affected by 10%duties. Remaining in the northern hemisphere, there are those who will have to manage decks by 50%. This is the case of Saint Pierre and Miquelonan archipelago of eight small islands under French jurisdiction off the Canadian coast of Newfoundland. With a population of about 5000 inhabitants and an economy based mainly on fishing and processing of crustaceans and seafood, will have to pay superior duties of 30% Compared to France (which as a member of the European Union will be affected by 9%of April 9).
