MARITIME BOUNDARIES

I. BOUNDARIES
 Imaginary geographic lines, marking the state’s sovereignty are called boundaries.
 Boundaries are lines that mark the limits of a political unit, such as a state or a nation. They can have
various effects on the political geography of a region, such as defining sovereignty, creating conflicts,
or facilitating cooperation.
 Boundaries are imaginary geographical lines or demarcations that separate one political entity from
another, defining the territorial extent and sovereignty of each entity.
 Boundaries are vertical plane that cuts through the air space and goes beneath the Earth’s surface
between adjacent states. It’s a line/ plane from space to the centre of the Earth.
 Boundaries are legal and political markers that establish the limits of a country's jurisdiction, control,
and governance, serving as the basis for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
 Boundaries are physical, cultural, or geometric divisions that separate territories based on natural
features, social differences, or arbitrary lines drawn on maps.

II. MARITIME BOUNDARIES

 Maritime boundaries are lines that demarcate the limits of a country's waters in the oceans and seas.
These boundaries define the extent of a country's jurisdiction and control over maritime areas,
including rights to resources, navigation, and other activities within those zones.
 A maritime boundary is a conceptual division of Earth's water surface areas using physiographical or
geopolitical criteria.
 Maritime boundaries are established based on international law, treaties, agreements, and customary
practices between neighbouring or adjacent countries. They play a crucial role in regulating activities
such as fishing, shipping, exploration of natural resources, and protection of marine environments in
the designated maritime zones.
 The delineation or delimitation of maritime boundaries has strategic, economic and environmental
implications.
 Following terminologies are used in maritime boundaries.
1. Nautical Mile (nm)
A nautical mile is an international unit of distance in ocean/ seawaters. It is equal to 1.852 kms.
The International Hydrographic Conference adopted this value in 1929.
2. Coastline
The coastline refers to the land-sea interface where the land meets the ocean or sea. It is the
physical boundary between the landmass and the water bodies.
3. Baseline
The baseline, an imaginary line along the low-water mark of the coast, is a crucial reference point
for measuring the breadth of maritime zones. Established according to international law, the
baseline can be straight or follow the coast's general contour. It plays a pivotal role in defining a
country's maritime boundaries and rights at sea.
4. Continental Shelf
The continental shelf is the submerged extension of a continent that slopes from the shoreline to
the continental slope. It is part of the ocean floor and extends from the shoreline to the point
where the seafloor drops off steeply towards the ocean depths. The continental shelf is relatively
shallow compared to the deeper oceanic waters beyond it. The continental shelf is rich in natural
resources such as oil, gas, minerals, and fisheries, making it economically significant.
III. MARITIME ZONES
Maritime Boundaries are classified into following zone:
o Inland waters: the zone inside the baseline.
o Territorial sea: the zone extending 12 nm. from the baseline.
o Contiguous zone: the area extending 24 nm. from the baseline.
o Exclusive Economic Zone: the area extending 200 nm.
o Extended Continental Shelf: Beyond the EEZ; exploration and exploitation rights.
o High Seas: Beyond national jurisdiction; open to all nations.

1. INLAND WATERS
a) Definition: Inland waters refer to waters on the landward side of the baseline of a coastal state
that are considered internal waters.
b) Characteristics: Inland waters are fully under the sovereignty of the coastal state, and they are
not subject to the right of innocent passage by foreign vessels.
c) Extent: Inland waters can include bays, rivers, estuaries, and other water bodies that are
enclosed by the baseline of the coastal state.
d) Regulation: Coastal states have the authority to regulate and control activities within their
inland waters, including navigation, fishing, and resource exploitation.
e) Exceptions: While foreign vessels do not have the right of innocent passage through inland
waters, certain international agreements or treaties may grant specific rights of access or
passage in certain cases.
f) Importance: Inland waters play a significant role in the maritime jurisdiction of coastal states,
providing a zone of exclusive control and management for various activities within their
territory.

2. TERRITORIAL SEA
a) Definition: The territorial sea is a belt of water adjacent to the baseline of a coastal state that
extends up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometres) from the coast.
b) Sovereignty: Coastal states have full sovereignty over their territorial sea, including the airspace
above and the seabed and subsoil below.
c) Rights: Coastal states have the right to regulate and control various activities within their
territorial sea, such as navigation, fishing, research, and resource exploitation.
d) Innocent Passage: Foreign vessels enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial
sea, subject to certain conditions and restrictions imposed by the coastal state.
e) Exceptions: Coastal states can establish temporary restrictions in their territorial sea for
reasons of national security, safety, protection of the marine environment, or other legitimate
interests.
f) Enforcement: Coastal states have the authority to enforce their laws and regulations within
their territorial sea, including the right to take measures to prevent or punish violations.
g) Importance: The territorial sea is a fundamental maritime zone that establishes the outer limits
of a coastal state's sovereignty and jurisdiction, playing a crucial role in defining its maritime
boundaries and rights at sea.

3. CONTIGUOUS ZONE
a) Definition: The contiguous zone is an area of water beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea
of a coastal state, extending up to 24 nautical miles (44.4 kilometres) from the baseline.
b) Purpose: The contiguous zone allows coastal states to exercise limited control and enforcement
in order to prevent and punish infringements of specific laws and regulations within their
territorial sea or customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws.
 c) Rights: Coastal states in the contiguous zone have the authority to take preventive measures,
including surveillance, to enforce their laws and regulations within their territorial sea.
d) Activities: Coastal states can regulate and control activities such as customs inspections,
immigration control, and the prevention of unauthorized fishing or pollution in the contiguous
zone.
e) Limitations: The rights of coastal states in the contiguous zone do not include the full
sovereignty and control they have in their territorial sea. Instead, they are limited to specific
enforcement actions related to certain laws and regulations.
f) Enforcement: Coastal states can enforce their laws in the contiguous zone against foreign
vessels that have violated regulations in the territorial sea or other designated areas.
g) Importance: The contiguous zone serves as an additional buffer beyond the territorial sea where
coastal states can exercise limited control and enforcement to protect their interests and
maintain order in their maritime jurisdiction.

4. EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ)

a) Definition: The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a maritime zone that extends up to 200
nautical miles (370.4 kilometres) from the baseline of a coastal state.
b) Sovereign Rights: In the EEZ, the coastal state has sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring,
exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, both living and non-living, in the water
column and on the seabed and subsoil.
c) Jurisdiction: Coastal states in the EEZ have jurisdiction over activities such as fishing, marine
research, environmental protection, and the development of marine resources.
d) Rights of Other States: Other states enjoy the freedom of navigation and overflight in the EEZ,
as well as the freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines, subject to the rights and duties of
the coastal state.
e) Resource Management: Coastal states are responsible for the sustainable management of
resources in their EEZ, including fisheries, oil and gas reserves, minerals, and other marine
resources.
f) Cooperation: States are encouraged to cooperate with each other in the management and
conservation of shared resources in overlapping EEZs or in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
g) Enforcement: Coastal states have the authority to enforce their laws and regulations in the EEZ
to prevent and punish violations, including illegal fishing, pollution, and unauthorized resource
extraction.
h) Importance: The EEZ is a significant maritime zone that extends the jurisdiction of coastal
states over a vast area of ocean, allowing them to benefit from and manage the resources within
their exclusive economic zone.

5. EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF

a) Definition: The Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) is an area beyond the territorial sea and
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where a coastal state may claim rights over the seabed and
subsoil that extend beyond 200 nautical miles from its baseline.
b) Criteria for Submission: Coastal states can submit a claim for an extended continental shelf to
the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) established under the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
c) Criteria for Determination: The CLCS considers scientific and technical data provided by the
coastal state to determine the outer limits of the continental shelf based on geological and
geomorphological criteria.
d) Rights: If the CLCS approves the submission, the coastal state is granted exclusive rights to
explore and exploit the natural resources of the extended continental shelf.
 e) Limitations: The rights of the coastal state in the extended continental shelf are limited to the
exploitation of non-living resources, as living resources are typically under the jurisdiction of
the coastal state's EEZ.
f) Cooperation: In cases where the extended continental shelf overlaps with the claims of other
states, cooperation and negotiation are encouraged to reach agreements on the delimitation of
maritime boundaries.
g) Significance: The extended continental shelf zone allows coastal states to potentially expand
their maritime jurisdiction and access additional resources beyond their EEZ, providing
opportunities for economic development and resource management.

6. HIGH SEAS
a) Definition: The High Seas, also known as the "Area," refer to the vast expanse of ocean beyond
the exclusive jurisdiction of any coastal state, typically starting beyond the territorial sea.
b) Freedom of the High Seas: The High Seas are open to all states and are considered global
commons, where all states enjoy freedom of navigation, overflight, fishing, laying of submarine
cables, and scientific research.
c) No Sovereignty: No state has sovereignty over the High Seas, and they are considered part of
the common heritage of mankind, meaning that they are to be utilized for the benefit of all
nations.
d) Regulation: Despite the freedom enjoyed on the High Seas, there are international agreements
and conventions that regulate activities to ensure the conservation of marine resources,
protection of the marine environment, and safety of navigation.
e) International Law: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets out
the legal framework for activities on the High Seas, including provisions on piracy, marine
pollution, and conservation of marine biodiversity.
f) Challenges: The High Seas face challenges such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU)
fishing, piracy, marine pollution, and the need for sustainable management of marine resources.
g) Global Commons: The High Seas play a crucial role in the global ecosystem and economy,
providing opportunities for trade, transportation, scientific research, and the sustainable use of
marine resources.
h) Importance: The concept of the High Seas ensures that the oceans remain accessible to all states
for peaceful purposes and underscores the importance of international cooperation in the
management and conservation of marine resources.