(Redirected from Exclusive economic zone)
Under the
law of the sea, an 'Exclusive Economic Zone' ('EEZ') is a seazone over which a
state has special rights over the exploration and use of
marine resources.
Definition
Generally a state's EEZ extends to a distance of 200
nautical miles (370 km) out from its coast. The exception to this rule occurs when EEZs overlap; that is, state coastal baselines are less than 400 nautical miles apart. When an overlap occurs, it is up to the states to delineate the actual boundary.
[William R. Slomanson, 2006. Fundamental Perspectives on International Law, 5th edn. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth, 294.] Otherwise, any point within an overlapping area defaults to the most proximate state.
[1]
The Exclusive Economic Zone starts at the coastal baseline and extends 200 nautical miles out into the sea, perpendicular to the baseline. Thus, the EEZ overlaps both the contiguous zone and
territorial waters.
[William R. Slomanson, 2006. Fundamental Perspectives on International Law, 5th edn. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth, 294.]
Origin of EEZ
This concept of allotting nations EEZs to give better control of maritime affairs outside territorial limits gained acceptance in the late
20th century and was given binding international recognition by the Third
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in
1982.
Part V, Article 55 of the Convention states:
::''Specific legal regime of the Exclusive Economic Zone''
:''The Exclusive Economic Zone is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, subject to the specific legal regime established in this Part, under which the rights and jurisdiction of the coastal State and the rights and freedoms of other States are governed by the relevant provisions of this Convention.''
Fisheries management is a significant aspect of the resulting control.
EEZ disputes
Disputes over the exact extent of Exclusive Economic Zones are a common source of conflict between states over marine waters.
★ One well-known example of such a dispute is the
Cod Wars between the
United Kingdom and
Iceland.
★ The
South China Sea (and the
Spratly Islands) is the site of an ongoing dispute between several neighboring nations.
Regions where a permanent
ice shelf extends beyond the coastline are also sources of potential dispute.
[2]
Rankings by area
| List of countries' EEZ by area |
|---|
| Country | EEZ +
Terr. Waters | EEZ only |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 11,351,000 km² | |
| France | 11,035,000 km² |
| Australia | 8 148 250 km² |
| Russia | 7,566,673 km² |
| Canada | 5,599,077 km² | 2,755,564 km² |
| Japan | 4,479,358 km² |
| New Zealand | 4,083,744 km² |
| United Kingdom | 3,973,760 km² |
| Brazil | 3,660,955 km² |
| Chile | 2,017,717 km² |
| Portugal | 1,727,408 km² |
| India | 1,641,514 km² |
| Madagascar | 1,225,259 km² |
| Argentina | 1,159,063 km² |
| China | 877,019 km² |
List of countries' EEZ
plus territorial waters
plus territories onshore area |
|---|
| Russia | 24,641,873 km² |
| United States | 20,982,418 km² |
| Australia | 15,835,100 km² |
| Canada | 15,583,747 km² |
| Brazil | 12,175,831 km² |
| France | 11,709,843 km² |
| China | 10,476,979 km² |
| India | 5,559,733 km² |
| Japan | 4,857,193 km² |
| New Zealand | 4,352,424 km² |
| Argentina | 3,925,953 km² |
| Chile | 2,773,813 km² |
| Portugal | 1,819,799 km² |
| Madagascar | 1,812,299 km² |
By country
Argentina
1,159,063 km²
Australia
★ ''
Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973''
Australia has the third largest Exclusive Economic Zone, behind the
United States and
France, but ahead of
Russia, with the total area actually exceeding that of its land territory. As per UN convention, Australia's EEZ generally extends 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coastline of Australia and its
external territories, except where a maritime delimitation agreement exists with another state.
[3] Australia has also claimed, in its submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, an EEZ of 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its
Antarctic Territory but has requested it not be considered, in accordance with the
Antarctic Treaty.
[4] Nevertheless, Australia maintains the right to explore and exploit the seabed and water column within its EEZ.
Brazil
★ Continental shelf: 3,191,827 km²
★ Trindade and Martim Vaz Island: 469,128 km²
★ total: 3,660,955 km²
Source
Canada
Canada is unusual in that its Exclusive Economic Zone, covering 2,755,564 km², is slightly smaller than its territorial waters.
[6] The latter generally extend only 12 nautical miles from the shore, but also include inland marine waters such as
Hudson Bay (about 300 nautical miles across), the
Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the internal waters of the
Arctic archipelago.
European Union
European Union Member states EEZ's, does not include overseas territories of members
The EEZ of the
European Union is shared, so vessels or a national from one country can fish in another country's EEZ.
[7] The combined zone amounts to 25 million km², making it larger than the United States' zone, the largest of any single country.
[8] '"See:
Common Fisheries Policy.''
France
Due to its numerous
overseas ''départements'' and territories scattered on all oceans of the planet, France possesses the second-largest EEZ in the world, covering
11,035,000 km² (4,260,000 mi²), just behind the EEZ of the
United States (11,351,000 km² / 4,383,000 mi²), but ahead of the EEZ of
Australia (8,232,000 km² / 3,178,000 mi²). According to a different calculation cited by the ''
Pew Research Center'', the EEZ of France would be
10,084,201 km² (3,893,532 mi²), behind the
United States (12,174,629 km² / 4,700,651 mi²), but ahead of
Australia (8,980,568 km² / 3,467,416 mi²) and
Russia (7,566,673 km² / 2,921,508 mi²).
The EEZ of France covers approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world, whereas the land area of the French Republic is only 0.45% of the total land area of the Earth.
Greece
Greece has not yet claimed an exclusive economic zone, although it is entitled to do so, as per UNCLOS 1982 as well as customary international law. The reason for its inaction is the direct
Turkish threat of
casus belli.
Portugal
Portugal Exclusive Economic Zone
★
Main land 327,667 km²
★
Azores Islands 953,633 km²
★
Madeira Islands 446,108 km²
★ total : 1,727,408 km²
Portugal has the 3rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of the EU and the 11th in the world. See a
Portugal EEZ map.
United Kingdom
764,071 km²
★
Ascension Island: 443,844 km²
★ British Indian Ocean Tr. (UK): 636,600 km²
★
Channel Islands (UK): 6,517 km²
★
Gibraltar (UK): 331 km²
★
Montserrat (UK): 8,247 km²
★
Pitcairn (UK): 837,221 km²
★
Saint Helena (UK): 446,616 km²
★
Tristan da Cunha (UK): 749,612 km²
★
Virgin Islands (UK): 80,701 km²
★ total: 3,973,760 km²
India
★ 1,641,514 km²
★
Andaman Islands, 663,629 km²
★ Total: 2,305,143 km²
Japan
★
Marcus Island: 428,875 km²
★
Ogasawara Islands: 862,782 km²
★
Pacific Ocean (Japan): 1,162,334 km²
★
Ryukyu Islands: 1,394,676 km²
★
Sea of Japan: 630,721 km²
★ total: 4,479,358
Japan has disputes over its EEZ boundaries with all its Asian neighbours (Russia,
South Korea,
PRC and
ROC). The above and relevant maps at the Sea Around Us Project
[9][10] both indicates Japan's claimed boundaries, and does not take into account neighbouring power's claims.
New Zealand
New Zealand's EEZ covers 4,083,744 km², according to the Sea Around Us Project,
[11][12] which is approximately fifteen times the land area of the country. Sources vary significantly on the size of New Zealand's EEZ; for example, a recent government publication gave the area as roughly 4,300,000 km².
[13] These figures are for the EEZ of New Zealand proper, and do not include the EEZs of other territories in the
Realm of New Zealand.
Pakistan
★ 201,520 km²
[14]
Russia
★ Asia: 6,382,530
★ Baltic: 24,549
★ Barents Sea: 1,159,594
★ total 7,566,673 km²
Source
United States
''information needed''
Largest EEZ in the world: 11,351,000 km² / 4,383,000 mi²
★ ''
Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976''
References
1. UN Convention on the Law of The Sea.
2. The Legal Status of Ice in the Antarctic Region
3. Geoscience Australia. 2005. Maritime Boundary Definitions.
4. Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, Submission by Australia
5. Geoscience Australia, Australian Maritime Boundaries Information System 2001. Area of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone
6. Wildlife Habitat Canada. Canada's Marine Waters: Integrating the Boundaries of Politics and Nature.
7. About the Common Fisheries Policy
8. EU Glossary europa.eu
9. Japan (main islands) The Sea Around Us Project
10. Japan (outer islands) The Sea Around Us Project
11. New Zealand Sea Around Us Project
12. Kermadec Islands (New Zealand) The Sea Around Us Project
13. New Zealand Ministry for the Environment (2005). Offshore Options. Accessed 21 may 2006.
14. Coastal and Marine Ecosystems — Marine Jurisdictions Accessed 1 November 2006
See also
★
Baseline
★
Territorial waters
★
Continental shelf
★
International waters
★
Air Defense Identification Zone
External links
★
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - Part V
★
Sea Around Us Project - View the EEZ of all nations (Note that this site does not distinguish between
territorial waters and the EEZ, and so tends to overstate EEZ areas.)
★
The USA zone since 1977
★
GIS data : http://www.vliz.be/vmdcdata/marbound/
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