Heard and McDonald Islands
No human has reportedly set foot on the Heard and McDonald Islands in nearly a decade. These islands are one of seven external territories belonging to Australia.
- Location: Approximately 4,100 km southwest of Perth and 1,600 km north of the Antarctic coast.
- Features: Covered in glaciers and largely barren, the islands host penguins, seals, and seabirds.
- Significance: Considered one of the most remote places on Earth.
US Tariffs on External Territories
Donald Trump's Tariff Imposition
- A 10% tariff was imposed on imports from the Heard and McDonald Islands.
- Other Territories Affected:
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Christmas Island
- Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island Tariff
- Located around 1,600 km northeast of Sydney.
- Home to approximately 2,000 permanent inhabitants.
- Tariff Details: A 29% tariff, 19 percentage points higher than the rest of Australia.
- Comments: Norfolk Island Administrator, George Plant, expressed confusion over the tariff as the island does not export to the US nor does it impose any tariffs.
British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
In addition, a 10% tariff was imposed on the British Indian Ocean Territory.
- Comprises the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, between the Maldives and Mauritius.
- Diego Garcia is the largest island and hosts a joint US-UK military base with around 4,000 personnel.
- It does not have any civilian inhabitants.
