EEZ Flashcards
(12 cards)
Q1: What is an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)?
A: An EEZ is a sea zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country’s coast, where the state has special rights to explore, exploit, and manage natural resources, both in the water and on the seabed.
Q2: What international law defines EEZs?
A: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1982 and in force since 1994.
Q3: What can countries do in their EEZs?
A: Countries can exploit fish stocks, oil, gas, and minerals, but must respect environmental rules and allow foreign ships to pass freely (freedom of navigation).
Q4: Why are EEZs important in global geopolitics?
A: EEZs give countries control over key maritime resources, which can be economically valuable and politically sensitive—leading to territorial disputes and power rivalries.
Q5: Which country has the largest EEZ?
A: France, due to its overseas territories, has the world’s largest EEZ (over 11 million km²), followed by the United States.
Q6: How does climate change affect EEZs?
A: Rising sea levels may shift coastlines, leading to legal uncertainty over maritime boundaries. Melting Arctic ice is opening up new potential EEZs and shipping routes.
Q7: How do EEZs create tension between countries?
A: Overlapping EEZ claims lead to conflicts—for example:
• In the South China Sea, multiple countries (China, Vietnam, the Philippines) claim overlapping EEZs.
• China’s “nine-dash line” violates UNCLOS, but China rejects international rulings.
Q8: How do EEZs connect to resource competition?
A: EEZs often include oil, gas, and rich fishing grounds. For instance, tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean (Turkey, Greece, Cyprus) are tied to undersea gas reserves.
Q9: How do EEZs affect developing countries?
A: EEZs offer economic potential, but many Global South states lack capacity to patrol or exploit them. Foreign fleets, especially from China, often fish illegally in West African EEZs.
Q10: Are EEZs effective tools for protecting marine environments?
A: In theory, yes—but enforcement is weak. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be declared within EEZs, but illegal fishing, pollution, and exploitation continue.
Q11: How do EEZs relate to sovereignty and global governance?
A: EEZs reflect a balance between national sovereignty and international law. Disputes arise when countries act unilaterally or ignore UNCLOS rulings (e.g. China, Russia).
Q12: Will EEZs become more or less important in future geopolitics?
A: More important—as maritime resources become scarcer and new trade routes (like the Arctic) open, EEZs will be central to global competition and environmental protection.
