Scope of Sovereignty Rights of Coastal State in Continental Shelf Area

United Nations Convention on Law of the Seas 1982 is considered as a beginning of new era in international law of the seas. One of the most important issues in this document is about delimitation of maritime zones that amongst them delimitation of continental shelf and the rights of coastal state are given a great importance. This article has a glance to the sovereignty rights of coastal states and tries to answer the question that how obligations of these states is limiting the domain of their sovereignty rights.

It is descriptive study.

Ethical Considerations: 

All ethical considerations have been observed.

Article 76 of the Convention comprehensively includes the elements that constitute continental shelf, precise formula for delimitation, the process of delimitation and other related details. Even though in this document seabed and sub soil in the distance of 200 M from coastal baseline is inherent to the coastal country, however this country may extend its continental shelf beyond 200 M according to the requirements of the Convention. 1982 Convention recognizes sovereignty rights for coastal country in continental shelf which is related to seabed and subsoil however this country has some obligation toward other countries and international community as a whole.