For any country, its maritime boundaries are as important as its land boundaries. Just like a country has a land boundary, every country has a boundary in the sea as well. There is a special international law to determine these boundaries, which is called the International Code of Maritime Law (UNCLOS). This law governs all the rules related to the sea and decides how the sea will be used and protected.

How to set boundaries at sea

Under UNCLOS, certain norms have been made to determine the boundaries of a country in the sea. In this, first a "baseline" is decided, which is made keeping the coastline in mind. The area up to 12 nautical miles from this baseline is called "territorial sea". The concerned country gets full sovereign rights in this area, that is, the country can implement its laws in this part and considers it a part of its border.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

The area up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline is called the "Exclusive Economic Zone". In this part, the concerned country has the exclusive right to exploit the natural resources. This means that only that country has the right to fish, extract minerals and use other resources in this area.

Continental shelf

The continental shelf is also important for the maritime boundary. It is a sloping part of the sea floor which extends from the coast towards the sea. In this area also, the concerned country has been given special rights to use the natural resources. The right to use the minerals and other resources in this shelf belongs to the country whose border this shelf is connected to.

international waters

There is a part of the sea which is called international waters. This part does not come under the jurisdiction of any country. Ships of all countries have the right to move freely in it. Ships of all countries can move in this area without any hindrance, because no country has authority over it.

Maritime boundary dispute

Many times disputes arise over maritime boundaries, especially when two or more countries claim an island or region. In such cases, it becomes difficult to determine the maritime boundary, and a situation of dispute arises. Maritime boundaries are very important for any country in terms of economy, security and resources. Therefore, they are determined under international laws so that mutual cooperation and peace is maintained between the countries.

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