What does UNCLOS define, and what are Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)?

• A. UNCLOS is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; EEZs grant coastal states rights to explore and exploit resources up to 200 nautical miles from shore.
• B. UNCLOS is a trade agreement; EEZs are exclusive zones for military bases.
• C. UNCLOS is a climate treaty; EEZs are economic zones for shipping only.
• D. UNCLOS is a space treaty; EEZs govern space resources.

Answer: (B)

UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is an international treaty that lays out how nations use and govern the oceans. It defines maritime zones and the rights and responsibilities of coastal states versus other states in those zones. A central idea is the Exclusive Economic Zone, which grants a coastal state rights to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources—living and non-living—within 200 nautical miles of its shore. In the EEZ, the coastal state has sovereign rights over resource use and environmental management, while other countries retain freedoms such as navigation and overflight and may conduct certain activities with respect for the coastal state’s resource claims. EEZs are not about military bases; they are about economic rights and jurisdiction over resources, with navigation still allowed for other states under international law. UNCLOS is not a trade treaty, climate treaty, or space treaty; it specifically codifies maritime law and resource rights in the oceans.