President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Wednesday, including on uninhabited islands and a US military base, as part of a broad new levies package.
Among the areas affected are the Heard and McDonald Islands in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean, an uninhabited UNESCO World Heritage site. These islands, along with mainland Australia, will now face a minimum 10 percent tariff on U.S. imports, according to Axios.
Despite being remote and largely barren, the islands are home to penguin, seal, and bird colonies, some of which are listed as species of conservation concern both nationally and internationally. The islands are accessible by ship from Fremantle, near Perth, taking around 10 days depending on weather conditions.
Additionally, a similar 10 percent tariff has been imposed on the British Indian Ocean Territory, which is home to the Diego Garcia military base where only U.S. and U.K. service members reside.
