The United States has imposed tariffs on exports from several remote territories, including the Falkland Islands and Heard and McDonald Islands. This move has sparked surprise and criticism worldwide.
The Falkland Islands, a British territory in the South Atlantic with fewer than 3,700 residents, now faces a 42% tariff on exports to the U.S. Most of these exports are Patagonian toothfish. In 2023, they totaled $27.4 million, nearly all from fisheries. The new tariff has hurt the fishing industry.
Similarly, the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands near Antarctica, and other Australian territories like Norfolk Island, now face tariffs. Norfolk Island, home to just over 2,000 people, faces a 29% tariff, higher than Australia’s 10%. Many question the fairness of applying tariffs to regions with little or no trade relations with the U.S.
These measures have left global leaders and residents of these territories confused, questioning the logic behind the tariffs.
