The Western World Daily Readings on Geography Chapter 14 Pacific Realm Economic Geography I

CHAPTER 14 Pacific Realm Economic Geography I Exclusive Economic Zones . I , by Dolly Holmes lrom Noun Propel Whose water is it ?

Because water is a liquid that flows and moves over and across the Earth surface , it can be difficult to determine the answer to that question . When trying to adjudicate rights over a river , often the midpoint of the stream , known as the line , is used as the divider . Even this may vary from what seems to be obvious to a point of contention , depending on whether the deep channels of the stream or its two banks are selected as the points of reference . Coastline provides access to ocean waters , especially for island countries like , outlined in the icon to the left . When dividing lakes jurisdictionally between states or provinces or along international boundaries , again the of the lake generally are the preferred border . But what of open waters ?

Oceans , seas , gulfs , straits , etc . Here we have the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( approved in 1982 by this international organization , entering into force in 1996 . Initially due to concerns over deep seabed mining , the United States did the treaty . Although reaching a separate agreement on deep seabed mining in 1994 , the USA remains a , but acknowledges the provisions of by informally following the practices of the treaty . Primarily , the Law ofthe Sea recognizes two essential jurisdictions that are integral interest of coastal countries . One , as a form of safety and national security , a protected zone known as territorial water guarantees the national as

PACIFIC REALM ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY 69 right to restrict movement or presence of ships from other countries . establishes a twelve nautical mile zone of territorial waters , pushed from each country coastline . Historically , countries or coastal peoples asserted control over their but with varying means of control and measure . At times , coastal waters were claimed as far as the eye could see . As a practical measure , one approach was to claim waters as far as a cannon could shoot . Occasionally , the open water distance between two countries is shorter than nautical miles , thus preventing either country from pushing out to the twelve nautical mile standard . In this case of a narrow waterway between landmasses , the definition of a strait , while given the frequent need for passage of cargo ships ( and even passenger vessels ) through these straits , the Law of the Sea proclaims such passages to be international waters open for free transit . An example is the Strait of , where these waters connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean are not ten nautical miles across at the narrowest . Similarly , between Denmark and Sweden is this type of passageway . Exclusive Economic Zones . Cartography by . Two , ocean water is not simply water . Oceans contain resources such as fish in the water , minerals on the sea floor , and oil beneath the seabed . Obviously , countries have vested economic interests in maintaining and securing rights to these maritime riches . The Law of the Sea a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone ( extending outward from that coastline . Fish in those waters belong to that country . Manganese nodules on the ocean floor , petroleum below the ocean bed , and whatever type of resource there , all belong to that coastal country . Beyond the territorial waters , the ocean surface within the is considered to be international water therefore , any ships have the freedom and right to sail through these waters .

70 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL Some countries benefit more than others do from the Law of the Sea . Landlocked countries by definition lack coastline and thus hold neither territorial waters nor . Countries with long coastlines ( USA , Brazil , Canada , Russia ) naturally have expansive . Island countries are defined by their coastlines , thus having corresponding territorial waters and exclusive economic zones . For a small island country , its may hold much greater surface area and its land does . In this way , countries of the Pacific Realm have rights to vast ocean territories . Australia land area is about million square kilometers ( million square miles ) but its basic is about six million . Counting the of Australia small islands adds another two million . That eight million exceeds land area . This does not even include Australia claim to an of two million that is adjacent to the Australian Antarctic Territory . In sum , Australia is the third largest in the world . It is safe to say that every island country of the Pacific Realm claims greater areas of the ocean than they hold land mass . Usually , the ratio of is large for instance , for the Solomon Islands , this ratio is . For New Zealand , the ratio is . In fact , New Zealand has the world ninth largest at four million . Sometimes the ratio is extreme , such as with measured at Trawler Base Road , 75231 Photo by Dam , lode on Not all ofthe Pacific islands are wholly or parts of an independent country . Some islands still have colonial links . Of course , Hawaii is part of the United States . The American territory of the Northern Mariana Islands has an that is larger than the American along the Gulf of Mexico . France maintains overseas departments and territories across the globe , including numerous islands in the Pacific Realm . All of these holdings combine to give France the world largest exclusive economic zone . Oddly , the of France in Europe is only ofthe country overall . Given the prominence of fishing industries throughout the islands of the Pacific , the rights within the exclusive economic zones are financially significant , if not crucial , for the Pacific Realm . Did You Know ?

The exclusive economic zone of the United States is dominated by Alaska . Alaska is million , which is more than the of the American mainland ( West Coast , East Coast , and Gulf Coast ) and the main islands of Hawaii combined . America total is the second largest in the world . If the expansive exclusive economic zones of distant islands are excluded , as are any claims to Antarctic waters , then the country with the largest is Russia . Perhaps this is fitting , since Russia has the world largest land area too . The Islands and the South China Sea around it host disputes , even with .

PACIFIC REALM ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY I 71 CITED AND ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY . 2018 . Territorial Waters of the Pacific Ocean . Wikipedia . Creative Commons Alike Generic . Geoffrey . 2018 . Countries with the Largest Exclusive Economic Zones . June 29 , Wikipedia Contributors . 2019 . Exclusive Economic Zone . Wikipedia . Foundation . September .