OpenHistoricalMap/Projects/Maritime Boundaries
Overview
The goal is to accurately map all maritime boundaries in order to mop up multiple duplicate boundary lines and to make the map prettier.
Historically most countries considered 3nm to be the maritime boundary of their nation. Between 1973-1982 the United Nations hosted multiple conventions to determine the future of maritime boundaries. This resulted in the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III) which came into effect in 1994.
Rules or suggestions
Where limits are not found for a country it should default to 3nm.
In order to give large empires or countries less members we map a separate 0.2nm extra or by default 3.2nm boundary so it doesn't get split so often.
On the boundary line I would usually add these tags: type=boundary, maritime=yes, name=3nm line - Denmark, and to make it even better you can add the end_date and start_date tags to the boundaries if you know exactly when the distance changed.

How to map
On JOSM it is very easy to move multiple relations from one boundary to another by using the OpenData plugin. Select a boundary line and click on Ctrl + C (Copy) and then select the line you want the relations to be moved to and select More Tools > Paste Relations
With Shift + P you can select a boundary line and create a parallel duplicate line by dragging from the line to the new location. Look at the bottom panel to see how far you've dragged it. Click on the distance unit to change it to NM if it isn't already.
Read More
Territorial Maritime Claims of Countries
| Country | Region | Completed | From/To Limit | Start Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Mediterranean Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1963-10-12 | Decree No. 63-403 | |
| Angola | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1992-08-28 | Law 21/92 | |
| Benin | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1968-03 | Decree No. 74
https://stjececmsdusgva001.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/documents/Benin2020.pdf | |
| 12nm-200nm | 1976-04-02 | Decree No. 76-92 | |||
| 200nm-12nm | 1998-12 | Benin claims 12nm boundary but doesn't list it with the UN
https://stjececmsdusgva001.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/documents/Benin2020.pdf | |||
| Cameroon | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-50nm | 1974-12-05 | Law No. 74/16 | |
| 50nm-12nm | 2000-04 | Law No. 2000-2
https://stjececmsdusgva001.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/documents/Cameroon_2024.pdf | |||
| Canary Islands | Atlantic Ocean | See Spain | |||
| Cape Verde | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1977-12-31 | Decree Law No. 126/77 | |
| Comoros | Indian Ocean | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1982-05-06 | Law No. 82-005 |
| Congo | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1977-12-20 | Ordinance No. 049/77 | |
| DRC | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1974-07-10 | Law No. 74/009 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1977-11-17 | Law No. 77-926 | |
| Djibouti | Arabian Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1979-01-09 | Law 52/AN/798 | |
| Egypt | Mediterranean Sea; Suez Gulf; Gulf of Aqaba | 3nm-12nm | 1958-02-17 | Presidential Decree No. 180/1958 | |
| Equatorial Guinea | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1984-11-12 | Act No. 15/1984 | |
| Eritrea | Suez Gulf | Yes | See Ethiopia | ||
| Ethiopia | Suez Gulf | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1991-09-15 | Proclamation No. 7 |
| Gabon | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1984-07-12 | Law No. 9/84 | |
| Ghana | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1986-08-02 | Maritime Zones Law | |
| Guinea | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1980-07-30 | Decree No. 336/PRG/80 | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1978-05-19 | Law No. 3/78 | |
| Kenya | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1972-05-16 | Territorial Waters Act No. 2 | |
| Liberia | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1977-02-16 | Act to Approve Executive Order of Dec. 24, 1976 | |
| 200nm-12nm | 2013-01-10 | Executive Order No. 39
https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/LBR_10Jan2013_Act_EO48.pdf | |||
| Libya | Mediterranean Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1959-02-18 | Territorial Waters Act No. 2 | |
| Madagascar | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1985-09-21 | Ordinance No. 85-013 | |
| Mauritania | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1988-08-31 | Ordinance 88-120 | |
| Mauritius | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1970-04-16 | Territorial Seas Act | |
| Mayotte | Indian Ocean | Yes | See France | ||
| Morocco | Mediterranean Sea; Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1973-03-02 | Law 1-73-211 | |
| Mozambique | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1976-08-19 | Decree Law No. 31/76 | |
| Namibia | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1990-06-30 | Act No. 03 | |
| Nigeria | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-30nm | 1971-08-26 | Territorial Waters Decree No. 38 | |
| 30nm-12nm | 1998-01-01 | Territorial Waters Decree 19978 | |||
| Reunion | Indian Ocean | Yes | See France | ||
| Saint Helena and Dependencies | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1990-01-01 | St. Helena and Dependencies (Territorial Sea) Order 1989
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1994/article/1/made | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1998-03-23 | Act No. 1/98 | |
| Senegal | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1985-02-25 | Law 85-14 | |
| Seychelles | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1977-08-01 | Maritime Zones Act No. 15 of 1977 | |
| Sierra Leone | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1971-04-19 | Interpretations Act, 1971 | |
| 200nm-12nm | 1996-06-06 | The Maritime Zones Decree 1996 | |||
| Somalia | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1966-11-01 | Decree Law No. 7 | |
| 12nm-200nm | 1972-09-10 | Law No. 37 | |||
| 200nm-12nm | 1989-01-26 | Law No. 5 | |||
| South Africa | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1994-11-11 | Maritime Zones Act, 1994, No. 15 | |
| Sudan | Suez Gulf | 3nm-12nm | 1960-08-02 | Council of Minister's Resolution No. 1047 | |
| Tanzania | Indian Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1989-10-15 | Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act, 1989 | |
| Togo | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 3nm-30nm | 1977-08-16 | Ordinance No. 24 |
| Tunisia | Mediterranean Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1973-02-02 | Law 73-49 | |
| The Gambia | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1969-07-10 | Act No. 9 | |
| Country | Region | Completed | From/To Limit | Start Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azerbaijan | Caspian Sea Sea | ||||
| Bahrain | Persian GulfPersian Gulf | ||||
| British Indian Ocean Territory | Indian Ocean | 3nm | Still only claims 3nm | ||
| Brunei | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Cambodia | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| China | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Georgia | Black Sea | ||||
| Hong Kong British | Pacific Ocean | See the United Kingdom | |||
| Hong Kong | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| India | Indian Ocean | ||||
| Indonesia | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Iran | Persian Gulf; Indian Ocean | ||||
| Iraq | Persian Gulf | ||||
| Israel | Mediterranean Sea; Gulf of Aqaba | ||||
| Japan | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Jordan | Gulf of Aqaba | 3nm | Still only claims 3nm | ||
| Kazakhstan | Caspian Sea | ||||
| North Korea | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Russia | Pacific Ocean; Arctic Ocean | See Europe Table | |||
| South Korea | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Country | Region | Completed | From/To Limit | Start Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia | Mediterranean Sea | Yes | 3nm | Never enlarged | |
| Albania | Mediterranean Sea | 3nm-15nm | 1976-02-23 | Decree No. 5384 | |
| 15nm-12nm | 1990-03-24 | Decree No. 7366 of March 9, 1990 | |||
| Croatia | Mediterranean Sea | ||||
| Cyprus | Mediterranean Sea | ||||
| Denmark | Baltic Sea; Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 4nm-3nm | 1874 | https://www.jstor.org/stable/2189474 |
| Yes | ?-3nm | 1966-12-21 | (Reaffirmed or updated?) Baseline segments in European Datum System: https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/1966/437 | ||
| Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1999-05-01 | May 1999 Act No. 200 on the Delimitation of the Territorial Sea (Does not apply to Greenland and Faroe Islands)
https://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/DNK_1999_Act.pdf Coastline and straight line segments defined in WGS84: https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/1999/242 (danish) | ||
| Estonia | Baltic Sea | Yes | 12nm | 3nm pre Soviet-era 12nm as Latvia SSR and 3nm between Latvia and Estonia until 1996 post-Soviet.
https://iilss.net/maritime-boundaries-between-latvia-and-estonia/ | |
| Faroe islands | Atlantic Ocean | See Denmark | |||
| Finland | Baltic Sea; Arctic Ocean | ||||
| France | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 3nm-12nm | ||
| Germany | Baltic Sea; Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 12nm | 1994-11-11 | https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/mzn_s/mzn1.pdf |
| Gibraltar | Mediterranean Sea | Still only claims 3nm | |||
| Greece | Mediterranean Sea | Yes | 3nm-6nm | 1936-09-17 | https://opil.ouplaw.com/display/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e1240?p=emailA/MsQAG3uZBM.&d=/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e1240&print# |
| Greece | Mediterranean Sea | Yes | 6nm-partial 12nm | 2021-01-20 | Law No. 4767
https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/01/21/extension-waters-ionian-sea-ratified/ https://stjececmsdusgva001.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/documents/Greece2021.pdf |
| Guernsey | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 3nm-12nm | The Territorial Sea Act 1987
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/1108/article/2/made | |
| Iceland | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 4nm-12nm | 1979-06-01 | 4nm inherited from Denmark. https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/ice1316.pdf |
| Ireland | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 2006-04-04 | In 1959 they signed the 3nm boundary.
https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1959/act/22/section/3/enacted/en/html#sec3 And then 12nm in 2006 https://www.un.org/Depts/los/doalos_publications/LOSBulletins/bulletinpdf/bulletin62e.pdf |
| Isle of Man | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1991-09-02 | Territorial Sea Act 1987 (Isle of Man) Order 1991
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/1722/article/1/made | |
| Italy | Mediterranean Sea | ||||
| Jersey | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1997-03-31 | Territorial Sea Act 1987 (Jersey) Order 1997 | |
| Latvia | Baltic Sea | Yes | 12nm | 1996-07-12 | 3nm pre Soviet-era 12nm as Latvia SSR and 3nm between Latvia and Estonia until 1996 post-Soviet.
https://iilss.net/maritime-boundaries-between-latvia-and-estonia/ |
| Lithuania | Baltic Sea | Yes | 12nm | 1992-06-25 | Inherited from USSR and ratified in 1992 https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/lit22373.pdf |
| Norway | Atlantic Ocean; Arctic Ocean | Yes | 4nm-12nm | 2004-01-01 | https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/228446825.pdf |
| Poland | Baltic Sea | Yes | 12nm | 1991-03-21 | https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/POL_1991_Act.pdf |
| Russia | Baltic Sea; Arctic Ocean; Caspian Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1960-02-21 | https://docs.rwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2465&context=law_ma_jmlc | |
| The Netherlands | Atlantic Ocean | Yes | 3nm-12nm | ||
| Sweden | Baltic Sea | Yes | 4nm-12nm | 1980-01-01 | https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1739&context=mjil |
| United Kingdom | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1987-05-15 | Territorial Sea Act 1987 | |
| Country | Region | Completed | From/To Limit | Start Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | Caribbean Sea | Yes | Median | 1996-06-27 | Agreement on Maritime Delimitation of 27 June 1996
Boundary established between Anguilla and Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2916/made#:~:text=This%20Order%20extends%20the%20boundaries%20of%20the,Martin%20and%20Saint%20Barthelemy%2C%20on%20the%20other. |
| Yes | 3nm-12nm | 2007-10-31 | https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2916/made#:~:text=This%20Order%20extends%20the%20boundaries%20of%20the,Martin%20and%20Saint%20Barthelemy%2C%20on%20the%20other. | ||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1982-08-17 | Maritime Areas Act, 1982, Act No. 18 of 17 August 1982(1) |
| Aruba | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See The Netherlands | ||
| Barbados | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1977-06-23 | Territorial Waters Act, 1977-No. 26 |
| Belize | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1992-01-24 | Maritime Areas Act 1982 |
| Bermuda | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1988-11-28 | Bermuda (Territorial Sea) Order in Council 1988 |
| British Virgin Islands | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 2007-08-15 | Virgin Islands (Territorial Sea) Order 2007
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2141/article/1/made |
| Canada | Atlanic Ocean; Pacific Ocean; Arctic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1970-06-26 | Amended Territorial Sea and Fishery Zones Act | |
| 12nm | 1974-03-13 | Limits in the Seas No 72
Establishes the boundary between Canada and Greenland https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/LIS-72.pdf | |||
| Cayman Islands | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1990-01-01 | Cayman Islands (Territorial Sea) Order 1989
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/2397/article/1/made |
| Costa Rica | Pacific Ocean; Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1975-06-05 | Decree No. 5699 |
| Cuba | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1978-01-01 | https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/LIS-110.pdf |
| Curacao | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See The Netherlands | ||
| Dominica | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1981-08-25 | Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, Exclusive Economic and Fishery Zones Act, 1981 Act No. 26 |
| Dominican Republic | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-6nm | 1967-09-13 | Law No. 186 |
| Yes | 6nm-12nm | 2007-05-22 | Act 66-07, 22 May 2007
https://www.un.org/depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/DOM_2007_Act_frombulletin65.pdf | ||
| El Salvador | Pacific Ocean | Yes | 3nm-200nm | 1950-07-09 | Constitution, Article 7
https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/LIS-36.pdf El Salvador has never ratified the 12nm UNCLOS treaty, and thus I believe them to still have a valid 200nm claim even though other coutnries don't recognize it. |
| Yes | 200nm-12nm | 2004-12 | Civil Code (Article 574) : Rolled back territorial sea from 200nm to 12nm
https://stjececmsdusgva001.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/public/documents/el_salvador_2014.pdf | ||
| Greenland | Atlantic Ocean; Arctic Ocean | Yes | 3nm | Greenland still only claims a 3nm boundary | |
| Yes | 3nm | 1974-03-13 | Limits in the Seas No 72
Establishes the boundary between Canada and Greenland https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/LIS-72.pdf | ||
| Grenada | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1978-11-01 | Territorial Waters Act No. 17 |
| Guadeloupe | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See France | ||
| Guatemala | Pacific Ocean; | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1976-07-01 | Decree No. 20-76 |
| Caribbean Sea | Yes | Median | 1992-01-24 | Belize defines it's Maritime boundaries | |
| Haiti | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1977-04-08 | Decree No. 38 |
| Honduras | Pacific Ocean; Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 2007-10-08 | ICJ defines the Caribbean maritime boundary |
| Jamaica | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1971-07-19 | Act No. 14 |
| Martinique | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See France | ||
| Montserrat | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm | Still only claims 3nm | |
| Nicaragua | |||||
| Puerto Rico | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See the United States | ||
| Saint Lucia | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1984-07-18 | Maritime Areas Act No. 6 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1984-08-30 | Maritime Act No. 3 |
| Saint Barthelemy | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See France | ||
| Saint Martin | Yes | See France | |||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1983-06-08 | Act No. 15 of 1983 |
| Sint Maarten | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See the Netherlands | ||
| The Bahamas | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1996-01-04 | Archipelagic Waters and Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 1993 (No. 37 of 1993) |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1969-12-06 | Territorial Sea Act No. 38 Territorial Sea (Amendment) |
| Turks and Caicos | Caribbean Sea | Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1990-01-01 | Turks and Caicos Islands (Territorial Sea) Order 1989
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1996/article/1/made |
| United States | Pacific Ocean; Atlantic Ocean; Arctic Ocean | Yes | 1972-04-18 | Boundary agreement with Mexico to 12 nm EIF; see LIS No. 45. | |
| Yes | 3nm-12nm | 1988-12-27 | Presidential Proclamation No. 5928 | ||
| United States Virgin Islands | Caribbean Sea | Yes | See the United States | ||
| Country | Region | Completed | From/To Limit | Start Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | Pacific Ocean | See the United States | |||
| Australia | Pacific Ocean; Indian Ocean | ||||
| Cocos Islands | Pacific Ocean | See Australia | |||
| Cook Islands | Indian Icean | See Australia | |||
| Fiji | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| French Polynesia | Pacific Ocean | See France | |||
| Guam | Pacific Ocean | See the United States | |||
| Kiribati | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Pitcairn | Pacific Ocean | 3nm | Still only claims 3nm | ||
| Timor-Leste | Pacific Ocean | ||||
| Country | Region | Completed | From/To Limit | Start Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1967-01-19 | Law No. 17,094 | |
| 200nm-12nm | 1991-09-13 | Act No. 23,968 of August 14, 1991 | |||
| Brazil | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1970-03-27 | Decree Law No. 1098 | |
| 200nm-12nm | 1993-01-04 | Law No. 8617 | |||
| British Antarctic Territory | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm | Antarctic territories still keep 3nm | ||
| Chile | Pacific Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1952-08-18 | Declaration on the maritime zone, 18 August 1952
https://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/TREATIES/CHL-ECU-PER1952MZ.PDF | |
| 200nm-12nm | 1986-10-26 | Law No. 18.565 | |||
| Colombia | Pacific Ocean; Caribbean Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1978-08-04 | Law No. 10 | |
| Ecuador | Pacific Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1966-11-10 | Decree Law No. 1542
https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/LIS-36.pdf See map and other articles here https://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/STATEFILES/ECU.htm | |
| Falkland Islands | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1990-01-01 | Falkland Islands (Territorial Sea) Order 1989
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1993/article/1/made | |
| French Guiana | Atlantic Ocean | See France | |||
| Guyana | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1977-06-30 | Maritime Boundaries Act No. 10 | |
| Peru | Pacific Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1947-08-01 | Supreme Decree | |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1990-01-01 | South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (Territorial Sea) Order 1989
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1995/article/1/made | |
| Suriname | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-12nm | 1978-06-11 | Act No. 26 | |
| Uruguay | Atlantic Ocean | 3nm-200nm | 1969-12-03 | Decree 604/969 and Ordinance 1983 | |
| 200nm-12nm | 1998-11-20 | Act No. 17.033 | |||
| Venezuela | Atlantic Ocean; Caribbean Sea | 3nm-12nm | 1956-07-27 | Territorial Sea Law | |