The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international agreement that establishes a legal framework for all maritime activities. It defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world’s oceans, covering aspects such as navigation, fishing, mineral resources, pollution, and maritime boundaries. For example, it delineates territorial waters, exclusive economic zones (EEZs), and the continental shelf, granting coastal states specific rights within those zones.
This convention is crucial in human geography because it significantly impacts geopolitics, economic development, and resource management. It clarifies jurisdictional control over ocean resources, influencing trade routes, fishing industries, and the exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves. Its historical context lies in the growing need to regulate increasing maritime activities and to prevent conflicts arising from overlapping territorial claims. The convention attempts to provide a universal framework for resolving these issues peacefully and sustainably.
