An area extending from a nation’s coast out to 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers), within which that nation has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including sea-bed mineral resources. This zone grants the coastal state sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing both living and non-living resources of the waters, seabed, and subsoil. It also encompasses the production of energy from water, currents, and wind. For instance, Japan, due to its island geography, possesses a substantial expanse allowing it to control fisheries and potential energy sources within that region.
This concept is crucial in geopolitical strategy and resource management. It allows nations to control valuable fisheries, oil and gas deposits, and potential renewable energy sites offshore. Establishing these zones has sparked international disputes, particularly in areas where countries’ claims overlap, such as in the South China Sea. Its creation stemmed from the need to balance coastal nations’ rights to offshore resources with the traditional freedom of the seas.