Legal instruments on: Coastal state

The continental shelf of a coastal State comprises 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. 📑Read more

The coastal State shall establish the outer edge of the continental margin wherever the margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, by either of the two methods referred to in paragraph 4 below. 📑Read more

(a) For the purposes of this Convention, the coastal State shall establish the outer edge of the continental margin wherever it extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured by either: (i) a line delineated in accordance with paragraph 7 by reference to the outermost fixed points at each of which the thickness of sedimentary rocks is at least 1 per cent of the shortest distance from such point to th ... 📑Read more

The continental shelf of a coastal State shall not extend beyond 350 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, except as provided in paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 below. 📑Read more

The coastal State shall delineate the outer limits of its continental shelf, where that shelf extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, by straight lines not exceeding 60 nautical miles in length, connecting fixed points, defined by coordinates of latitude and longitude. 📑Read more

Information on the limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured shall be submitted by the coastal State to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf set up under Annex II on the basis of equitable geographical representation. The Commission shall make recommendations to coastal States on matters related to the establishment of the ... 📑Read more

The coastal State shall deposit with the Secretary-General of the United Nations charts and relevant information, including geodetic data, permanently describing the outer limits of its continental shelf. The Secretary-General shall give due publicity thereto. 📑Read more

The coastal State exercises over the continental shelf sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources. 📑Read more

The rights referred to in paragraph 1 are exclusive in the sense that if the coastal State does not explore the continental shelf or exploit its natural resources, no one may undertake these activities without the express consent of the coastal State. 📑Read more

The rights of the coastal State over the continental shelf do not depend on occupation, effective or notional, or on any express proclamation. 📑Read more