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US Tariffs Imposed: Donald Trump imposed a 10% tariff on imports from Heard & McDonald Islands, despite the islands having no known exports to the US.
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Remote Location: The islands are a remote, uninhabited sub-Antarctic volcanic island group in the southern Indian Ocean, far southwest of Australia.
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Australian Territory: They are an Australian external territory governed directly by the Australian government.
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Volcanic Activity: Heard Island features the Big Ben volcano (Mawson Peak), Australia’s highest mountain outside the mainland. McDonald Island has shown recent volcanic activity, increasing in size. They are the only volcanically active sub-Antarctic islands.
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Ecological Significance: UNESCO World Heritage Site, pristine ecosystem with marine birds, mammals (penguins, seals), and free of invasive species.
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Uninhabited: The islands are completely uninhabited except for occasional research missions.
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Baffling Trade Policy: The tariff imposition is questionable due to the islands’ lack of exports to the US.
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Other Territories Affected: Other Australian external territories (Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island, and Norfolk Island) and the British Indian Ocean Territory also face tariffs, with similar questions about trade rationale.
