Which statement correctly differentiates territorial seas, contiguous zones, and EEZs?

• A. Territorial seas extend up to 12 nautical miles with full sovereignty; contiguous zones extend up to 24 nautical miles with limited control; EEZs extend up to 200 nautical miles with resource rights but not full sovereignty.
• B. Territorial seas up to 200 nautical miles; contiguous zones 0; EEZs 24 nautical miles.
• C. Territorial seas are landlocked; contiguous zones are rivers; EEZs are in airspace.
• D. Territorial seas extend up to 6 miles; contiguous up to 12; EEZs up to 50.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is how far a coastal state’s control reaches and what rights others have at different distances from the baseline. A territorial sea goes up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline, and within that band a state has full sovereignty over the waters, the seabed, and the air above, though ships of other countries may pass through the area with innocent passage. Beyond that, a contiguous zone can extend out to 24 nautical miles from the baseline; in this zone the state can assert measures to prevent infringement of its customs, immigration, fiscal, and sanitary laws. Then comes the exclusive economic zone, which reaches up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline; in the EEZ the coastal state has exclusive rights to explore and exploit natural resources in the water, on the seabed, and beneath the seabed, while other states retain freedom of navigation and overflight under certain rules. The distances listed in that option (6, 12, 50) do not match these internationally recognized limits, which are 12, 24, and 200 nautical miles.