Document Type : Article
Author
Assistant Prof., Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran
Abstract
Despite a century of discussion in international conferences, low-tide elevations, a type of insular feature, have received limited attention in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). These natural area od lands, surrounded by water and visible during low- tide, are concisely defined but remain a source of inter-state disputes due to the ambiguous scope of their defining elements and their nature. Moreover, the role of low-tide elevations in determining a state's maritime zones and delimiting maritime boundaries exacerbates the challenges faced by subjects of international law. This article employs a descriptive-analytical methodology to examine the definition of this feature, its legal status in the international law of the sea regime, and its impact on maritime zone delimitation, considering state practice, international case law, and scholarly opinion.The research findings indicate that the convention’s definition of low- tide elevations has achieved customary status and is readily considered in determining a state‘s maritime boundaries. However, based on states practice and jurisprudence in delimiting maritime zones, this feature has often been given partial or even no effect.
Keywords
- Low- tide elevations
- International Law of the Sea
- Tidal Datum
- Delimitation of Maritime Zones.
Main Subjects
English
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