Page 90 - MILITARY-STUDIES-1

Maritime Security Module - III

Security and Geo-Strategy
The maritime zone recognized under international law includes internal waters, territorial
sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone, the continental shelf and the
high seas. Let us see them briefly here.

• Internal water: Internal waters are the waters on the landward side of the
baseline from which the distance of the territorial sea is measured. States have
full sovereignty over its internal waters. Internal waters are considered as a part Note
of land territory.

• Territorial Sea: States can claim twelve nautical miles from its baseline. The
coastal state has the authority over the territorial sea, the air space above it, and
the seabed and subsoil beneath it.

• Contiguous Zone: Each coastal state can claim a contiguous or adjacent zone.
It is beyond the territorial sea and extends seaward up to 24 nm (nautical miles)
from its baseline. In this zone coastal states can exercise customs, fiscal,
immigration or sanitary laws.

DO YOU KNOW

Nautical mile is a unit of measurement at sea or air. One Nautical Mile
is equal to 1852 metres or 1.852 km

• Exclusive Economic Zone: Coastal states can claim an Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea that extends up to 200nm
towards sea from its baseline or out to a maritime boundary with another coastal
state. You can find the graphical representation of maritime zone below.

• High Seas: The High Seas lie beyond 200 nautical miles from shore and are
open and freely available to all countries. On the High Seas, no state can act or
interfere with others using the seas. The law gives freedom of activity in six
areas: Navigation, over flight, laying of cables and pipelines, artificial islands and
installations, fishing, marine scientific research.

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MILITARY STUDIES 83