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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 Mile s (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.UN Convention on the Law of The Sea.

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.

Regions where a permanent Ice Shelf extends beyond the coastline are also sources of potential dispute. The Legal Status of Ice in the Antarctic Region


RANKINGS BY AREA



BY COUNTRY


Argentina

1,159,063 km&2


Australia





EEZArea (km&2) Geoscience Australia, Australian Maritime Boundaries Information System 2001. Area of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone
Heard & McDonald Islands 410,722
Christmas Island 463,371
Cocos Islands 325,021
Norfolk Island 428,618
Macquarie Island 471,837
Australia 6,048,681
TOTAL8,148,250



Brazil

  • Continental shelf: 3,191,827 km&2

  • Trindade and Martim Vaz Island: 469,128 km&2

  • total: 3,660,955 km&2

  • Source



Canada


(about 300 nautical miles across), the Gulf Of Saint Lawrence and the internal waters of the Arctic Archipelago .


European Union


The EEZ of the .''


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 km&2 (4,260,000 mi&2), just behind the EEZ of the United States (11,351,000 km&2 / 4,383,000 mi&2), but ahead of the EEZ of Australia (8,232,000 km&2 / 3,178,000 mi&2). According to a different calculation cited by the '' Pew Research Center '', the EEZ of France would be 10,084,201 km&2 (3,893,532 mi&2), behind the United States (12,174,629 km&2 / 4,700,651 mi&2), but ahead of Australia (8,980,568 km&2 / 3,467,416 mi&2) and Russia (7,566,673 km&2 / 2,921,508 mi&2).

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 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 km&2


India



Japan


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 Japan (main islands) The Sea Around Us Project Japan (outer islands) The Sea Around Us Project both indicates Japan's claimed boundaries, and does not take into account neighbouring power's claims.


New Zealand

.


Pakistan



Russia

  • Asia: 6,382,530

  • Baltic: 24,549

  • Barents Sea: 1,159,594

  • total 7,566,673 km&2

  • Source



United States

''information needed''

Largest EEZ in the world: 11,351,000 km&2 / 4,383,000 mi&2



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