The reciprocal tariffs announced by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, passed the barrier of the great economies and that of their “dirty 15”, to also reach the most remote, small and vulnerable territories. While the European Union faces tariffs of 20% and China Of 34%that adding the previous ones reaches 54%, smaller nations and isolated regions have been surprised with levies that reach up to 50%.
Among the most affected territories are Lesoto and San Pedro and Miquelón, both with 50%tariffs, followed by meeting, Fiyi, Nauru and Norfolk Island with tariff rates of 37%, 32%, 30%and 29%respectively. On Lesoto, Reuters warned of having the highest tariff in the world and being one of the Poor nations in the world, with a gross domestic product of just over US $ 2,000 million.
The uninhabited territories were also part of Trump’s blacklist. The Heard and McDonald Islands, belonging to Australia and located in the Indian Ocean near Antarctica, have been the subject of a scaryL of 10%, despite not having a human population or significant economic activity. These islands, recognized as a natural heritage of humanity, mostly house fauna as penguins and seals.
All this has generated an international controversy. “I am not quite sure that Norfolk island, in regards to it, is a commercial competitor of the gigantic economy of the United States. But that demonstrates, I think, that no place in the world is exempt from this, ”Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, pronounced, who has ruled out reprisals. “
And it is that Norfolk Island is another Australian territory with a population of approximately 2,200 residents and with minimal exports to the USA. According to Reuters, this measure has baffled local inhabitants, Since its economy is mainly based on limited tourism and exports, such as Palma Kentia seeds. Economists are also surprised, because they claim that Trump administration calculations to set rates have serious failures from the economic point of view that will not achieve the declared objective of ‘reduce bilateral commercial deficits to zero.
What was the calculation? Reuters revealed it. “They took the commercial deficit of US goods with a country, divided it by that country’s exports to the United States and made it a percentage figure; then they cut that figure in half to obtain the ‘reciprocal’ tariff, with a 10%floor.” “That was how Heard and McDonald ended with a tariff. The penguins went well, ”said Reuters.
Bloomberg economic analysts They warn that these measures could increase costs, threaten jobs and decelerate global economic growth. “The imposition of tariffs on small economies and remote territories, without clear economic justification, has generated criticism and concern in the international community,” said the financial agency analysts.
An inhabited place by penguins was included
In the blacklist of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs were also some territories that have been subject to controversy and teasing. Heard and McDonald Islands were included, an arid uninhabited Antarctic archipelago that UNESCO describes it as “one of the rare pristine insular ecosystems of the world” and declared it a World Heritage Site in 1997. Among its most outstanding inhabitants are flying birds, penguins and focus, therefore, it has 0% imports to the United States or any other place in the world.
