Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area of the sea where a coastal state has special rights for the exploration and use of marine resources, extending up to 200 nautical miles from its coastline. Within this zone, the state has exclusive rights over natural resources, while other states maintain freedom of navigation. The concept is defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to balance the interests of coastal and other states in utilizing ocean resources.
Download the EEZ GeoJSON file here
Extended Continental Shelf (ECS)
An Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) refers to the submerged continuation of a continent’s landmass beyond its continental shelf. It includes the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas adjacent to and beyond the continental shelf. This concept is significant in maritime law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), allowing coastal states to claim rights over natural resources in underwater areas beyond their territorial waters. The process involves submitting scientific data to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to determine the outer limits of the extended continental shelf.
Download the ECS GeoJSON file here.
The data for these layers were obtained from Marine Regions.