libterm.com Territorial sea refers to the belt of coastal waters extending up to 12 nautical miles from a country's baseline, where the state exercises sovereignty, including regulations on navigation, resource exploitation, and environmental protection. Within this zone, foreign vessels may pass but must respect the coastal state's laws and rights. Discover more about the rights, limitations, and international regulations affecting your territorial sea in the rest of this article.
Table of Comparison
| Feature | Territorial Sea | Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Maritime zone up to 12 nautical miles from baseline | Maritime zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from baseline |
| Sovereignty | Full sovereignty including airspace, water, seabed | Sovereign rights limited to resource exploration and exploitation |
| Jurisdiction | Enforcement of laws, customs, and security | Rights over natural resources, scientific research, and environmental protection |
| Navigation Rights | Foreign vessels have right of innocent passage | Freedom of navigation and overflight for other states |
| Resource Control | Control over living and non-living resources | Exclusive rights to exploit living and non-living natural resources |
| Legal Basis | United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) | United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) |
Definition of Territorial Sea
The Territorial Sea is a maritime zone extending up to 12 nautical miles from a state's baseline, where the coastal state exercises full sovereignty similar to its land territory. This sovereignty includes the airspace over the Territorial Sea, seabed, and subsoil, allowing the state to regulate navigation, resource exploitation, and environmental protection. In contrast, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles, granting the state sovereign rights primarily for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources without full territorial sovereignty.
Definition of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a maritime zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, granting sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, both living and non-living. Unlike the Territorial Sea, which extends only 12 nautical miles and subjects the waters to full sovereignty of the coastal state, the EEZ allows other states freedom of navigation and overflight. The EEZ plays a crucial role in regulating fishing rights, seabed mining, and energy resource development while balancing international maritime interests.
Legal Basis under UNCLOS
The Territorial Sea under UNCLOS extends up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline, granting the coastal state full sovereignty, including airspace and seabed rights, regulated primarily by Part II of UNCLOS. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline, providing the coastal state sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, as outlined in Part V of UNCLOS. Legal distinctions between jurisdictional powers in the Territorial Sea and EEZ focus on sovereignty versus sovereign rights, with freedom of navigation maintained for other states in the EEZ per UNCLOS Articles 56 and 78.
Sovereign Rights in Territorial Sea
The Territorial Sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, where the state exercises full sovereign rights similar to its land territory, including control over airspace, sea, seabed, and resources. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) stretches up to 200 nautical miles, granting the coastal state sovereign rights specifically for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, but not full sovereignty. Sovereign rights in the Territorial Sea encompass jurisdiction over navigation, customs, immigration, and environmental regulations, emphasizing comprehensive state authority beyond mere economic interests.
Sovereign Rights in the Exclusive Economic Zone
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) grants coastal states sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, both living and non-living, within 200 nautical miles from their baseline. Unlike the Territorial Sea, which extends up to 12 nautical miles and confers full sovereignty similar to land territory, the EEZ allows for resource rights without full territorial sovereignty, permitting freedom of navigation and overflight by other states. Sovereign rights in the EEZ specifically include jurisdiction over economic activities such as fishing, mining, and energy production from water and seabed resources.
Maritime Boundary Limits
The Territorial Sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, granting full sovereignty over the water column, seabed, and airspace, including enforcement rights. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) can extend up to 200 nautical miles, where the state has sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources but does not possess full sovereignty. Maritime boundary limits between states are often determined through negotiations or international law, balancing Territorial Sea sovereignty with EEZ resource rights to avoid disputes.
Resource Exploitation: Territorial Sea vs EEZ
The Territorial Sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, granting full sovereignty, including exclusive rights to exploit fisheries, minerals, and marine resources. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) stretches up to 200 nautical miles, allowing coastal states sovereign rights specifically for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing natural resources, both living and non-living, in the water column and seabed. Unlike the Territorial Sea, the EEZ permits other states freedom of navigation and overflight, but resource exploitation remains under the coastal state's jurisdiction.
Navigation and Overflight Rights
Territorial Sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, granting full sovereignty including control over navigation and overflight, though innocent passage by foreign vessels is permitted. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles, where the coastal state has sovereign rights for resource exploration and exploitation but must allow freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with international law. Navigation and overflight rights in the EEZ are subject to the rights and duties defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ensuring unobstructed passage for foreign ships and aircraft.
Dispute Resolution Mechanisms
Territorial Sea disputes are typically resolved through bilateral negotiations, International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings, or arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) conflicts often involve resource-sharing agreements and rely heavily on UNCLOS provisions for dispute resolution, including conciliation and arbitral tribunals. Both regimes emphasize peaceful settlement but the EEZ framework addresses broader economic rights, complicating resolutions in contested maritime areas.
Key Differences between Territorial Sea and EEZ
The Territorial Sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from a coastal state's baseline, granting full sovereignty including airspace and seabed, whereas the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends up to 200 nautical miles, allowing sovereign rights primarily for resource exploration and exploitation. Unlike the Territorial Sea, where foreign vessels require permission to navigate, the EEZ permits freedom of navigation and overflight, subject to the coastal state's economic rights. Enforcement within the Territorial Sea is comprehensive, while in the EEZ, coastal states have jurisdiction mainly over natural resources and related activities.
Territorial Sea Infographic
