International waters aren’t defined by a specific number of miles out to sea. There are actually two key concepts to understand:
Territorial Sea: This is the zone surrounding a country that extends from its coastline. The most common distance for a territorial sea is 12 nautical miles (about 13.8 statute miles), following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, some countries claim a territorial sea of 12 miles or less.
High Seas: International waters, also referred to as the high seas, are generally considered the areas beyond a country’s territorial sea. So, if a country claims a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, international waters would begin beyond 12 nautical miles from its coastline.
Therefore, the distance to international waters depends on the specific country’s territorial sea claim.
International waters aren’t defined by a specific number of miles out to sea. There are actually two key concepts to understand:
Territorial Sea: This is the zone surrounding a country that extends from its coastline. The most common distance for a territorial sea is 12 nautical miles (about 13.8 statute miles), following the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, some countries claim a territorial sea of 12 miles or less.
High Seas: International waters, also referred to as the high seas, are generally considered the areas beyond a country’s territorial sea. So, if a country claims a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, international waters would begin beyond 12 nautical miles from its coastline.
Therefore, the distance to international waters depends on the specific country’s territorial sea claim.