International waters are those located outside any nation's
A country claims almost anything that resembles land above the water's surface. That's because international law dictates that the ocean surrounding land masses is governed by the owner of that land mass, and grabbing islands is a matter of oceanic control.
The oceans have no apparent surface features -- just a flat, vast, briny expanse. They're also all connected; the world's five oceans are technically one single ocean that covers 71 percent of the planet [source: NOAA]. This makes it difficult to divide, and so ultimately, you own the oceans.
No one owns the ocean. The seas and oceans are considered to be a 'global commons', which means that they belong to everyone and no one at the same time. However, countries do have the right to claim 'exclusive economic zones' (EEZs) up to 200 nautical miles from their coastlines.
Due to its numerous overseas departments and territories scattered on all oceans of the planet, France possesses the largest EEZ in the world, covering 11.7 million km2.
Australia has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that extends beyond the 12 nautical mile territorial sea to a distance of 200 nautical miles (one nautical mile is internationally defined as 1.852 kilometres) in most places.
San Pedro Martir – Sea of Cortez is the richest body of water on our entire planet. The Island of San Pedro Mártir is located in the Gulf of California right in the limit between the Northern and Central Gulf Regions.
But the true ruler of the sea is the killer whale. Killer whales are apex predators, which means they have no natural predators. They hunt in packs, much like wolves, which are also at the top of their food chain.
Oceans are International Zones
Although the oceans are technically viewed as international zones, meaning no one country has jurisdiction over it all, there are regulations in place to help keep the peace and to essentially divide responsibility for the world's oceans to various entities or countries around the world.
There are two major international legal organizations that are involved in ocean governance on a global scale, the International Maritime Organization and the UNCLOS.
Every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baselines determined in accordance with this Convention.
So, what is that ballpark figure? Chami: The value of the ecosystem services of the open ocean is at least in the tens of trillions, if not more. For example, in carbon sequestration alone, starting from 1870 until now, the value of carbon captured at the bottom of the deep ocean is close to $30 trillion.
How Much Treasure is Down There? The short answer, Sean Fisher says, is $60 billion. Fisher is a shipwreck hunter at Mel Fisher's Treasures in Key West (Sean is Mel's grandson), and he gives this figure based on his company's historical research.
And while there are some freehold islands on Australia's coasts, many are owned by state governments and sold on a leasehold basis, typically 99 years.
Australia is blessed with 8222 islands and they are very special places.
While most reserves lie beneath waters belonging to the United Kingdom and Norway, some fields belong to Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany. Most oil companies have investments in the North Sea.
There are currently 44 landlocked countries and four landlocked de facto states. Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country while Ethiopia is the world's most populous landlocked country.
Countries in Pacific Ocean
Australia, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Republic of China (Taiwan), Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are among the seventeen independent states that make up the Pacific region.
Samudra Devi (Sinhala: සමුද්ර දේවී ; literally Queen of the Oceans) a regular daily train service in Sri Lanka.
Dugongs have also played a role in legends in Kenya, and the animal is known there as the "Queen of the Sea". Body parts are used as food, medicine, and decorations. In the Gulf states, dugongs served not only as a source of food, but their tusks were used as sword handles.
The ocean, which we often break into five large ocean basins, covers 71 percent of the Earth's surface and holds over 1.3 billion cubic km of water.
The Mariana Trench, in the Pacific Ocean, is the deepest location on Earth. According to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the United States has jurisdiction over the trench and its resources. Scientists use a variety of technologies to overcome the challenges of deep-sea exploration and explore the Trench.
Looking at the entire oceans, however, the Pacific Ocean is by far the warmest overall ocean because it has about four times the intense sun-heated surface area in the tropics compared with the Atlantic Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean is an ideal location for natural harbours and ports because it has a long indented coastline, making it easier for ships to enter the port. Thus, the Atlantic Ocean is the busiest ocean in terms of trade and commerce.