The area around a country's coastline which is under that country's control?

• A. Economic exclusion zone
• B. Territorial sea
• C. Continental shelf
• D. International waters

Answer: (A)

Countries define maritime zones to regulate what’s possible and who can use resources at sea. The area close to the shore where a country has exclusive rights to explore and use natural resources is the exclusive economic zone, which extends up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. In this zone, the country can harvest fish and extract minerals and manage and conserve those resources, while other nations may navigate and lay cables but cannot exploit resources without permission. The other zones involve different levels of control: a territorial sea implies full sovereignty over the water and air up to about 12 nautical miles, the continental shelf covers rights to resources on the seabed and subsoil (up to varying distances, often up to 200 nautical miles or more), and international waters lie beyond any country's jurisdiction. So the area best described as “under that country’s control” for resource rights is the exclusive economic zone.