Hobbies And Interests
Territorial Sea
This is the section of water an adjacent nation may claim sovereignty over, including all air above the water and earth below it. The boundaries of a territorial sea may extend no further than 12 nautical miles from the baseline of the nation's coast. Foreign ships have the right of innocent passage in these waters, as long as they abide by the adjacent nation's laws and regulations.
Contiguous Zone
This is a secondary boundary that includes the territorial sea and may extend no more than 12 nautical miles further, or 24 nautical miles from the baseline. In these waters, the adjacent nation controls and upholds regulation on sea traffic, including customs, immigration and sanitation. They also hold ownership of any archeological artifacts that may be discovered within these bounds.
Exclusive Economic Zone
This third boundary may extend up to 200 nautical miles from the nation's baseline, or until it comes into contact with the boundary of another nation. Within these waters, a nation has sovereign rights in the use of any and all natural resources, underwater exploration and marine conversation, as well the right to build artificial islands and other structures in accordance with international law.
Outside Ocean Boundaries
The ocean waters outside of exclusive economic zones and any other claimed territories are free of ownership and known as the high seas. The seabed below these waters and the air above them cannot be claimed by any nation.