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Field Listing :: Maritime claims

This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions:
territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the mean low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; where the coasts of two states are opposite or adjacent to each other, neither state is entitled to extend its territorial sea beyond the median line, every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the baseline from which the territorial seas of both states are measured; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states.
contiguous zone - according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state's territorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringement of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (e.g., the US has claimed a 12-nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea); where the coasts of two states are opposite or adjacent to each other, neither state is entitled to extend its contiguous zone beyond the median line, every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the baseline from which the contiguous zone of both states are measured.
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) - the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
continental shelf - the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin comprises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2,500-meter isobath, which is a line connecting points of 2,500 meters in depth; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof.
exclusive fishing zone - while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g., the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles.

Country	Maritime claims


Afghanistan	none (landlocked)


Albania	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Algeria	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm


American Samoa	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Andorra	none (landlocked)


Angola	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Anguilla	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Antarctica

Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes - international entry


Antigua and Barbuda	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Argentina	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Armenia	none (landlocked)


Aruba	territorial sea: 12 nm


Ashmore and Cartier Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Australia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Austria	none (landlocked)


Azerbaijan	none (landlocked)


Bahamas, The	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Bahrain	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined


Bangladesh	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin


Barbados	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Belarus	none (landlocked)


Belgium	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors


Belize	territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Benin	territorial sea: 200 nm


Bermuda	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Bhutan	none (landlocked)


Bolivia	none (landlocked)


Bosnia and Herzegovina	no data available


Botswana	none (landlocked)


Bouvet Island	territorial sea: 4 nm


Brazil	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin


British Indian Ocean Territory	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


British Virgin Islands	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Brunei	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line


Bulgaria	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Burkina Faso	none (landlocked)


Burma	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Burundi	none (landlocked)


Cambodia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Cameroon	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm


Canada	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Cape Verde	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Cayman Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Central African Republic	none (landlocked)


Chad	none (landlocked)


Chile	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm


China	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Christmas Island	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Clipperton Island	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Cocos (Keeling) Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Colombia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Comoros	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Congo, Democratic Republic of the	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors


Congo, Republic of the	territorial sea: 200 nm


Cook Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Coral Sea Islands	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Costa Rica	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Cote d'Ivoire	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Croatia	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Cuba	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Curacao	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm


Cyprus	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Czech Republic	none (landlocked)


Denmark	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Djibouti	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Dominica	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Dominican Republic	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Ecuador	territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500-m isobath


Egypt	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


El Salvador	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Equatorial Guinea	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Eritrea	territorial sea: 12 nm


Estonia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states


Ethiopia	none (landlocked)


European Union	NA


Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Faroe Islands	territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line


Fiji	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added


Finland	territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm) contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


France	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean) continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


French Polynesia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


French Southern and Antarctic Lands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Gabon	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Gambia, The	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: extent not specified


Gaza Strip	Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement; permanent status to be determined through further negotiation


Georgia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Germany	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Ghana	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Gibraltar	territorial sea: 3 nm


Greece	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Greenland	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line


Grenada	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Guam	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Guatemala	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Guernsey	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm


Guinea	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Guinea-Bissau	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Guyana	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin


Haiti	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation


Heard Island and McDonald Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Holy See (Vatican City)	none (landlocked)


Honduras	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm


Hong Kong	territorial sea: 3 nm


Hungary	none (landlocked)


Iceland	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


India	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Indonesia	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Iran	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation


Iraq	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified


Ireland	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Isle of Man	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm


Israel	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation


Italy	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Jamaica	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin


Jan Mayen	territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Japan	territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Jersey	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm


Jordan	territorial sea: 3 nm


Kazakhstan	none (landlocked)


Kenya	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Kiribati	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Korea, North	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned


Korea, South	territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified


Kosovo	none (landlocked)


Kuwait	territorial sea: 12 nm


Kyrgyzstan	none (landlocked)


Laos	none (landlocked)


Latvia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Lebanon	territorial sea: 12 nm


Lesotho	none (landlocked)


Liberia	territorial sea: 200 nm


Libya	territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm


Liechtenstein	none (landlocked)


Lithuania	territorial sea: 12 nm


Luxembourg	none (landlocked)


Macau	not specified


Macedonia	none (landlocked)


Madagascar	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath


Malawi	none (landlocked)


Malaysia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea


Maldives	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Mali	none (landlocked)


Malta	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm


Marshall Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Mauritania	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Mauritius	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Mexico	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Micronesia, Federated States of	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Moldova	none (landlocked)


Monaco	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 12 nm


Mongolia	none (landlocked)


Montenegro	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: defined by treaty


Montserrat	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Morocco	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Mozambique	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Namibia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Nauru	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Navassa Island	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Nepal	none (landlocked)


Netherlands	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


New Caledonia	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


New Zealand	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Nicaragua	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation


Niger	none (landlocked)


Nigeria	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Niue	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Norfolk Island	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Northern Mariana Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Norway	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Oman	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Pakistan	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Palau	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Panama	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin


Papua New Guinea	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Paracel Islands	NA


Paraguay	none (landlocked)


Peru	territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Philippines	territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation


Pitcairn Islands	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Poland	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties


Portugal	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Puerto Rico	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Qatar	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line


Romania	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Russia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Rwanda	none (landlocked)


Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Saint Kitts and Nevis	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Saint Lucia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Saint Pierre and Miquelon	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Samoa	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


San Marino	none (landlocked)


Sao Tome and Principe	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Saudi Arabia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified


Senegal	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Serbia	none (landlocked)


Seychelles	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Sierra Leone	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Singapore	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice


Sint Maarten	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm


Slovakia	none (landlocked)


Slovenia	territorial sea: 12 nm


Solomon Islands	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm


Somalia	territorial sea: 200 nm


South Africa	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin


South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Spain	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)


Spratly Islands	NA


Sri Lanka	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Sudan	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Suriname	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Svalbard	territorial sea: 4 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia


Swaziland	none (landlocked)


Sweden	territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Switzerland	none (landlocked)


Syria	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm


Taiwan	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Tajikistan	none (landlocked)


Tanzania	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Thailand	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Timor-Leste	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Togo	territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Tokelau	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Tonga	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Trinidad and Tobago	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin


Tunisia	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 12 nm


Turkey	territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR


Turkmenistan	none (landlocked)


Turks and Caicos Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm


Tuvalu	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Uganda	none (landlocked)


Ukraine	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation


United Arab Emirates	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


United Kingdom	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries


United States	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified


United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Uruguay	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin


Uzbekistan	none (doubly landlocked)


Vanuatu	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Venezuela	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation


Vietnam	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Virgin Islands	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Wake Island	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


Wallis and Futuna	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


West Bank	none (landlocked)


Western Sahara	contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

World

a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea: territorial sea - 12 nm, contiguous zone - 24 nm, and exclusive economic zone - 200 nm; additional zones provide for exploitation of continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone; boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm


Yemen	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin


Zambia	none (landlocked)


Zimbabwe	none (landlocked)

The online Factbook is updated weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.