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territorial waters

TER-ih-TOR-ee-uhl WAW-terz /ˌtɛrɪˈtɔːriəl ˈwɔːtərz/

noun phraseC2GRETOEFLIELTS

formallegalpolitical

The waters under the jurisdiction of a state, typically extending 12 nautical miles from its coastline.

A specific legal term defined by international law (UNCLOS), granting a coastal state full sovereignty over these waters.

The story behind the word. The term 'territorial waters' combines 'territorial,' from the Latin 'terra' (earth, land), with 'waters.' It signifies the extension of a nation's land-based sovereignty out into the sea. This concept, formalized in international law, allows a coastal state to claim a specific band of water as its own, just as it claims its land.

Word relationships

national waters: A more general term, but 'territorial waters' is the precise legal term under UNCLOS.

international waters: Areas of the sea beyond the jurisdiction of any state.
high seas: Another term for international waters.

Commonly confused with

exclusive economic zone (EEZ): An EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles, where a state has special rights over marine resources, but foreign ships have freedom of navigation. Within 'territorial waters' (12 miles), the state has full sovereignty.

Word family

territory (noun): An area of land under the jurisdiction of a ruler or state.
territorial (adj): Relating to the ownership of an area of land or sea.

Collocations

violate territorial waters
extend territorial waters
patrol territorial waters

Example sentences

"Any unauthorized entry by foreign military vessels into a nation's territorial waters is considered a violation of its sovereignty." Discussing international law.
"The dispute arose when a foreign fishing trawler was caught operating illegally within the country's territorial waters." Referring to fishing rights.

Memory hook

TERRITORIAL WATERS are the waters where a nation has TERRITORY and control. Nation's water territory

When not to use

Do not use 'territorial waters' interchangeably with 'international waters' (which are beyond national jurisdiction) or 'exclusive economic zone' (where a state has economic rights but not full sovereignty).

Fun facts

The standard 12-nautical-mile limit for territorial waters was established by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Related words

sovereignty, maritime, patrol

Explore more words

treaty, Airspace, jurisdiction, self-determination, sovereignty, strait