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80-498: National Quarantine Act of 1878 established quarantine regulations for foreign nautical vessels pursuing entrance into United States maritime ports. The United States statute declared it to be an unlawful pursuit for international vessels departing harbors termed as infected maritime ports to enter United States seaports and territorial waters . The Act of Congress authorized the prevention of communicable and transmissible diseases from entering or being introduced by any vehicle beyond

160-534: A navy and some form of coast guard . Coasts, especially those with beaches and warm water, attract tourists often leading to the development of seaside resort communities. In many island nations such as those of the Mediterranean , South Pacific Ocean and Caribbean , tourism is central to the economy . Coasts offer recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, surfing, boating, and sunbathing . Growth management and coastal management can be

240-478: A challenge for coastal local authorities who often struggle to provide the infrastructure required by new residents, and poor management practices of construction often leave these communities and infrastructure vulnerable to processes like coastal erosion and sea level rise . In many of these communities, management practices such as beach nourishment or when the coastal infrastructure is no longer financially sustainable, managed retreat to remove communities from

320-415: A coast, across the mouths of rivers, or with certain restrictions across the mouths of bays. In this case, a bay is defined as "a well-marked indentation whose penetration is in such proportion to the width of its mouth as to contain land-locked waters and constitute more than a mere curvature of the coast. An indentation is not, however, regarded as a bay unless its area is as large as, or larger than, that of

400-655: A much higher capacity for carbon sequestration than many terrestrial ecosystems , and as such can play a critical role in the near-future to help mitigate climate change effects by uptake of atmospheric anthropogenic carbon dioxide . However, the economic importance of coasts makes many of these communities vulnerable to climate change , which causes increases in extreme weather and sea level rise, as well as related issues like coastal erosion , saltwater intrusion , and coastal flooding . Other coastal issues, such as marine pollution , marine debris , coastal development, and marine ecosystem destruction, further complicate

480-409: A national quarantine system. Territorial waters Territorial waters are informally an area of water where a sovereign state has jurisdiction , including internal waters , the territorial sea , the contiguous zone , the exclusive economic zone , and potentially the extended continental shelf (these components are sometimes collectively called the maritime zones ). In a narrower sense,

560-653: A proper name to the coast of the Ligurian Sea , in the form riviera ligure , then shortened to riviera . Historically, the Ligurian Riviera extended from Capo Corvo (Punta Bianca) south of Genoa , north and west into what is now French territory past Monaco and sometimes as far as Marseilles . Today, this coast is divided into the Italian Riviera and the French Riviera , although

640-435: A provider of sediment for coastlines of tropical islands. Like the ocean which shapes them, coasts are a dynamic environment with constant change. The Earth 's natural processes, particularly sea level rises , waves and various weather phenomena, have resulted in the erosion , accretion and reshaping of coasts as well as flooding and creation of continental shelves and drowned river valleys ( rias ). More and more of

720-456: A shoreline configuration. Swash is the shoreward flow after the break, backwash is the water flow back down the beach. The relative strength of flow in the swash and backwash determines what size grains are deposited or eroded. This is dependent on how the wave breaks and the slope of the shore. Depending on the form of the breaking wave, its energy can carry granular material up the beach and deposit it, or erode it by carrying more material down

800-425: A slightly different way in discussions of legal and economic boundaries (see territorial waters and international waters ) or when considering the geography of coastal landforms or the ecological systems operating through the continental shelf ( marine coastal ecosystems ). The research on coastal waters often divides into these separate areas too. The dynamic fluid nature of the ocean means that all components of

880-466: A sovereign state could defend from shore. However, Iceland claimed two nautical miles (3.7 km), Norway and Sweden claimed four nautical miles (7.4 km), and Spain claimed six nautical miles (11 km) during this period. During incidents such as nuclear weapons testing and fisheries disputes some nations arbitrarily extended their maritime claims to as much as fifty nautical miles (93 km) or even two hundred nautical miles (370 km). Since

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960-529: A wide range of sessile animals (e.g. mussels , starfish , barnacles ) and various kinds of seaweeds . In physical oceanography , a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore, representing the intertidal zone where there is one. Along tropical coasts with clear, nutrient-poor water, coral reefs can often be found between depths of 1–50 m (3.3–164.0 ft). According to an atlas prepared by

1040-541: Is a coastline that has experienced a fall in sea level, because of either a global sea-level change, or local uplift. Emergent coastlines are identifiable by the coastal landforms , which are above the high tide mark, such as raised beaches . In contrast, a submergent coastline is one where the sea level has risen, due to a global sea-level change, local subsidence , or isostatic rebound . Submergent coastlines are identifiable by their submerged, or "drowned" landforms, such as rias (drowned valleys) and fjords According to

1120-528: Is connected to marine pollution which can occur from a number of sources: Marine debris (garbage and industrial debris); the transportation of petroleum in tankers , increasing the probability of large oil spills ; small oil spills created by large and small vessels, which flush bilge water into the ocean. Marine pollution occurs when substances used or spread by humans, such as industrial , agricultural and residential waste , particles , noise , excess carbon dioxide or invasive organisms enter

1200-415: Is extremely important to geologists. These provide vital clues for reconstructing the geography of ancient continents ( paleogeography ). The locations of these beds show the extent of ancient seas at particular points in geological time, and provide clues to the magnitudes of tides in the distant past. Sediments deposited in the shoreface are preserved as lenses of sandstone in which the upper part of

1280-408: Is more important. Macrotidal coasts lack barrier islands and lagoons , and are characterized by funnel-shaped estuaries containing sand ridges aligned with tidal currents. Wave action is much more important for determining bedforms of sediments deposited along mesotidal and microtidal coasts than in macrotidal coasts. Waves erode coastline as they break on shore releasing their energy; the larger

1360-423: Is moved along the coastline by the waves. This forms an abrasion or cliffed coast . Sediment deposited by rivers is the dominant influence on the amount of sediment located in the case of coastlines that have estuaries. Today, riverine deposition at the coast is often blocked by dams and other human regulatory devices, which remove the sediment from the stream by causing it to be deposited inland. Coral reefs are

1440-495: Is still popularly, but incorrectly, regarded as coastal nation's territorial waters. Article 76 of the UN convention defines "continental shelf" of coastal countries. A state's continental shelf extends to the outer edge of the continental margin but at least 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) from the baselines of the territorial sea if the continental margin does not stretch that far. Coastal states can explore and exploit

1520-412: Is the counterintuitive observation that the coastline of a landmass does not have a well-defined length. This results from the fractal curve –like properties of coastlines; i.e., the fact that a coastline typically has a fractal dimension . Although the "paradox of length" was previously noted by Hugo Steinhaus , the first systematic study of this phenomenon was by Lewis Fry Richardson , and it

1600-462: The Aegean Sea . The following articles describe some coastal landforms: "Coastal waters" (or "coastal seas") is a rather general term used differently in different contexts, ranging geographically from the waters within a few kilometers of the coast, through to the entire continental shelf which may stretch for more than a hundred kilometers from land. Thus the term coastal waters is used in

1680-456: The US EPA considers this region to extend much further offshore. "Coastal waters" has specific meanings in the context of commercial coastal shipping , and somewhat different meanings in the context of naval littoral warfare . Oceanographers and marine biologists have yet other takes. Coastal waters have a wide range of marine habitats from enclosed estuaries to the open waters of

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1760-617: The United Nations , about 44% of the human population lives within 150 km (93 mi) of the sea as of 2013 . Due to its importance in society and its high population concentrations, the coast is important for major parts of the global food and economic system, and they provide many ecosystem services to humankind. For example, important human activities happen in port cities. Coastal fisheries (commercial, recreational, and subsistence) and aquaculture are major economic activities and create jobs, livelihoods, and protein for

1840-686: The Western Interior Seaway , a shallow sea that flooded central North America during the late Cretaceous Period (about 100 to 66 million years ago). These are beautifully exposed along the Book Cliffs of Utah and Colorado . The following articles describe the various geologic processes that affect a coastal zone: Larger animals that live in coastal areas include puffins , sea turtles and rockhopper penguins , among many others. Sea snails and various kinds of barnacles live on rocky coasts and scavenge on food deposited by

1920-551: The baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state. The territorial sea is sovereign territory, although foreign ships (military and civilian) are allowed innocent passage through it, or transit passage for straits ; this sovereignty also extends to the airspace over and seabed below. In international law, adjustment of these boundaries is called maritime delimitation . A state's territorial sea extends up to 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) from its baseline. If this overlaps with another state's territorial sea,

2000-595: The borders of the United States . The Marine Hospital Service was commissioned for governing the defined regulations of the public law cooperatively formulating a national quarantine service. United States consular officers were certified to report vessels departing harmful foreign ports with an inclusion of providing Public Health Reports encompassing public health surveillance of potentially tainted foreign harbors, maritime ports, and their surrounding administrative divisions . The United States public law

2080-469: The ocean and cause harmful effects there. The majority of this waste (80%) comes from land-based activity, although marine transportation significantly contributes as well. It is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide. Since most inputs come from land, either via

2160-596: The ocean . Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and on coastlines, frequently washing aground, when it is known as beach litter or tidewrack. Deliberate disposal of wastes at sea is called ocean dumping . Naturally occurring debris, such as driftwood and drift seeds , are also present. With the increasing use of plastic , human influence has become an issue as many types of (petrochemical) plastics do not biodegrade quickly, as would natural or organic materials. The largest single type of plastic pollution (~10%) and majority of large plastic in

2240-444: The rivers , sewage or the atmosphere, it means that continental shelves are more vulnerable to pollution. Air pollution is also a contributing factor by carrying off iron, carbonic acid, nitrogen , silicon, sulfur, pesticides or dust particles into the ocean. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff , wind-blown debris , and dust. These nonpoint sources are largely due to runoff that enters

2320-773: The French use the term "Riviera" to refer to the Italian Riviera and call the French portion the "Côte d'Azur". As a result of the fame of the Ligurian rivieras, the term came into English to refer to any shoreline, especially one that is sunny, topographically diverse and popular with tourists. Such places using the term include the Australian Riviera in Queensland and the Turkish Riviera along

2400-592: The Subsoil and Sea Bed of the Continental Shelf", and stipulated in its operative clause: the Government of the United States regards the natural resources of the subsoil and sea bed of the continental shelf beneath the high seas but contiguous to the coasts of the United States as appertaining to the United States, subject to its jurisdiction and control. The second proclamation was titled "Policy of

2480-596: The US presidential proclamation, the issue of legally determining territorial waters by international agreement was raised, and in its first session in 1949, the International Law Commission of the United Nations added the subject to its agenda. The important issue of the breadth of territorial waters could not be resolved at either the UNCLOS I (1956-1958) or UNCLOS II (1960) conferences, with neither

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2560-516: The US. Two conflicts occurred in the Gulf of Sidra where Libya drew a line in excess of 230 nmi (430 km; 260 mi) and claimed the entire enclosed gulf as its territorial waters. The US exercised freedom of navigation rights, resulting in the 1981 and 1989 Gulf of Sidra incidents. The contiguous zone is a band of water extending farther from the outer edge of the territorial sea to up to 24 nautical miles (44.4 km; 27.6 mi) from

2640-546: The United Nations has declared 2021–2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration , but restoration of coastal ecosystems has received insufficient attention. Since coasts are constantly changing, a coastline's exact perimeter cannot be determined; this measurement challenge is called the coastline paradox . The term coastal zone is used to refer to a region where interactions of sea and land processes occur. Both

2720-615: The United States With Respect to Coastal Fisheries in Certain Areas of the High Seas", and stated in its operative clause: the Government of the United States regards it as proper to establish conservation zones in those areas of the high seas contiguous to the coasts of the United States wherein fishing activities have been or in the future may be developed and maintained on a substantial scale. Following

2800-637: The United States, divide control over certain waters between the federal government and the individual states. (See tidelands .) Maritime controversies involve two dimensions: (a) territorial sovereignty, which are a legacy of history; and (b) relevant jurisdictional rights and interests in maritime boundaries , which are mainly due to differing interpretations of the law of the sea. As of 13 May 2009, 51 submissions by 44 countries have been lodged for claims over their extended continental shelf. Some countries have multiple submissions and joint submissions with other countries. Recommendations have been given for 8 of

2880-547: The adjacent continental shelf and fishing was first made by the United States government immediately following the Second World War . On 28 September 1945, US President Harry S. Truman issued two proclamations that established government control of natural resources in areas adjacent to the coastline. One of these proclamation was titled "Policy of the United States With Respect to the Natural Resources of

2960-735: The affected coastal nation or other nations wherever that broadcast may originate, whether in the territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, the continental shelf or even on the high seas . Thus a coastal nation has total control over its internal waters, slightly less control over territorial waters, and ostensibly even less control over waters within the contiguous zones. However, it has total control of economic resources within its exclusive economic zone as well as those on or under its continental shelf. Throughout this article, distances measured in nautical miles are exact legal definitions, while those in kilometres are approximate conversions that are not stated in any law or treaty. Federal nations, such as

3040-571: The average sea level rose by 15–25 cm (6–10 in), with an increase of 2.3 mm (0.091 in) per year since the 1970s. This was faster than the sea level had ever risen over at least the past 3,000 years. The rate accelerated to 4.62 mm (0.182 in)/yr for the decade 2013–2022. Climate change due to human activities is the main cause. Between 1993 and 2018, melting ice sheets and glaciers accounted for 44% of sea level rise , with another 42% resulting from thermal expansion of water . International attention to address

3120-417: The average wind wave and swell conditions are relatively mild. Low energy coasts typically change slowly, and tend to be depositional environments. High energy coasts are exposed to the direct impact of waves and storms, and are generally erosional environments. High energy storm events can make large changes to a coastline, and can move significant amounts of sediment over a short period, sometimes changing

3200-459: The baseline. Inside, a state can exercise limited control to prevent or punish "infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea". The zone is typically 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) wide. However, it can be wider when a state claims a territorial sea of less than 12 nautical miles, or narrower if it would otherwise overlap with another state's contiguous zone. Unlike

3280-613: The basis of their claim to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The Commission then validates or makes recommendations on the scientific basis for the extended continental shelf claim. The scientific judgement of the Commission shall be final and binding. Validated extended continental shelf claims overlapping any demarcation between two or more parties are decided by bilateral or multilateral negotiation, not by

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3360-508: The border is taken as the median point between the states' baselines, unless the states agree otherwise. A state can also choose to claim a smaller territorial sea. Conflicts have occurred when a coastal nation claims an entire gulf as its territorial waters while other nations only recognize the more restrictive definitions of the UNCLOS. Claims that draw the baseline at more than 24 nautical miles (two 12 nm limits) are judged excessive by

3440-461: The coast of Wales and other countries. Coastal fish , also called inshore fish or neritic fish, inhabit the sea between the shoreline and the edge of the continental shelf . Since the continental shelf is usually less than 200 metres (660 ft) deep, it follows that pelagic coastal fish are generally epipelagic fish , inhabiting the sunlit epipelagic zone . Coastal fish can be contrasted with oceanic fish or offshore fish , which inhabit

3520-812: The coast. Estuarine and marine coastal ecosystems are both marine ecosystems . Together, these ecosystems perform the four categories of ecosystem services in a variety of ways: The provisioning services include forest products, marine products, fresh water , raw materials, biochemical and genetic resources. Regulating services include carbon sequestration (contributing to climate change mitigation ) as well as waste treatment and disease regulation and buffer zones. Supporting services of coastal ecosystems include nutrient cycling , biologically mediated habitats and primary production . Cultural services of coastal ecosystems include inspirational aspects, recreation and tourism , science and education. According to one principle of classification, an emergent coastline

3600-421: The commission. Countries have ten years after ratifying UNCLOS to lodge their submissions to extend their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, or by 13 May 2009 for countries where the convention was ratified before 13 May 1999. As of 1 June 2009, 51 submissions have been lodged with the commission, of which eight have been deliberated by the commission and have had recommendations issued. The eight are (in

3680-567: The continental shelf. Similarly, the term littoral zone has no single definition. It is the part of a sea , lake , or river that is close to the shore . In coastal environments, the littoral zone extends from the high water mark , which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged . Coastal waters can be threatened by coastal eutrophication and harmful algal blooms . The identification of bodies of rock formed from sediments deposited in shoreline and nearshore environments (shoreline and nearshore facies )

3760-555: The deep seas beyond the continental shelves. Many coastal areas are famous for their kelp beds. Kelp is a fast-growing seaweed that can grow up to half a meter a day in ideal conditions. Mangroves , seagrasses , macroalgal beds, and salt marsh are important coastal vegetation types in tropical and temperate environments respectively. Restinga is another type of coastal vegetation. Coasts also face many human-induced environmental impacts and coastal development hazards . The most important ones are: The pollution of coastlines

3840-494: The depths of the seabed at 2,500 meters. The outer edge of the continental margin for the purposes of this article is defined as: The foot of the continental slope is determined as the point of maximum change in the gradient at its base. The portion of the continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical mile limit is also known as the "extended continental shelf". Countries wishing to delimit their outer continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles have to submit scientific information for

3920-789: The human uses of the coast and threaten coastal ecosystems. The interactive effects of climate change, habitat destruction , overfishing , and water pollution (especially eutrophication ) have led to the demise of coastal ecosystem around the globe. This has resulted in population collapse of fisheries stocks, loss of biodiversity , increased invasion of alien species , and loss of healthy habitats. International attention to these issues has been captured in Sustainable Development Goal 14 "Life Below Water", which sets goals for international policy focused on preserving marine coastal ecosystems and supporting more sustainable economic practices for coastal communities. Likewise,

4000-461: The late 20th century the "12 mile limit" has become almost universally accepted. The United Kingdom extended its territorial waters from three to twelve nautical miles (5.6 to 22.2 km) in 1987. During the League of Nations Codification Conference in 1930, the issue of establishing international legislation on territorial waters was raised, but no agreement was reached. Claims by legislation to

4080-513: The low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts that the coastal state recognizes. This is either the low-water mark closest to the shore or an unlimited distance from permanently exposed land, provided that some portion of elevations exposed at low tide but covered at high tide (such as mud flats) is within 3 nautical miles (5.6 kilometres; 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 statute miles) of permanently exposed land. Straight baselines can alternatively be defined connecting fringing islands along

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4160-410: The majority of coastal human populations. Other coastal spaces like beaches and seaside resorts generate large revenues through tourism . Marine coastal ecosystems can also provide protection against sea level rise and tsunamis . In many countries, mangroves are the primary source of wood for fuel (e.g. charcoal ) and building material. Coastal ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses have

4240-673: The margins of the continental shelves , make up about 7 percent of the Earth's oceans, but at least 85% of commercially harvested fish depend on coastal environments during at least part of their life cycle. As of October 2010, about 2.86% of exclusive economic zones were part of marine protected areas . The definition of coasts varies. Marine scientists think of the "wet" (aquatic or intertidal ) vegetated habitats as being coastal ecosystems (including seagrass, salt marsh etc.) whilst some terrestrial scientists might only think of coastal ecosystems as purely terrestrial plants that live close to

4320-587: The microplastics go through the water filtration system and into the ocean, but because of their small size they are likely to escape capture by the preliminary treatment screens on wastewater plants. These beads are harmful to the organisms in the ocean, especially filter feeders, because they can easily ingest the plastic and become sick. The microplastics are such a concern because it is difficult to clean them up due to their size, so humans can try to avoid using these harmful plastics by purchasing products that use environmentally safe exfoliates. Between 1901 and 2018,

4400-507: The more resistant rocks erode more slowly, remaining as headlands or outcroppings . Parts of a coastline can be categorised as high energy coast or low energy coast. The distinguishing characteristics of a high energy coast are that the average wave energy is relatively high so that erosion of small grained material tends to exceed deposition, and consequently landforms like cliffs, headlands and wave-cut terraces develop. Low energy coasts are generally sheltered from waves, or in regions where

4480-441: The ocean through rivers, but wind-blown debris and dust can also play a role, as these pollutants can settle into waterways and oceans. Pathways of pollution include direct discharge, land runoff, ship pollution , bilge pollution , atmospheric pollution and, potentially, deep sea mining . Marine debris , also known as marine litter, is human-created solid material that has deliberately or accidentally been released in seas or

4560-485: The oceans is discarded and lost nets from the fishing industry. Waterborne plastic poses a serious threat to fish , seabirds , marine reptiles , and marine mammals , as well as to boats and coasts. A growing concern regarding plastic pollution in the marine ecosystem is the use of microplastics. Microplastics are beads of plastic less than 5 millimeters wide, and they are commonly found in hand soaps, face cleansers, and other exfoliators. When these products are used,

4640-472: The order of date of submission): Russian Federation; Brazil; Australia; Ireland; New Zealand; the joint submission by France, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom; Norway and Mexico. Articles 77 to 81 define the rights of a country over its continental shelf. A coastal nation has control of all resources on or under its continental shelf, living or not, but no control over any living organisms above

4720-506: The outermost islands of an archipelagic state , such as Indonesia or the Philippines, are also internal waters, but the state must allow innocent passage through them. However, archipelagic states can limit innocent passage to designated sea lanes within these waters. Each island in the archipelago can have its own baseline. Territorial sea is a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) from

4800-416: The sandstone is coarser than the lower part (a coarsening upwards sequence ). Geologists refer to these are parasequences . Each records an episode of retreat of the ocean from the shoreline over a period of 10,000 to 1,000,000 years. These often show laminations reflecting various kinds of tidal cycles. Some of the best-studied shoreline deposits in the world are found along the former western shore of

4880-579: The sea. Some coastal animals are used to humans in developed areas, such as dolphins and seagulls who eat food thrown for them by tourists. Since the coastal areas are all part of the littoral zone , there is a profusion of marine life found just off-coast, including sessile animals such as corals , sponges, starfish, mussels, seaweeds, fishes, and sea anemones . There are many kinds of seabirds on various coasts. These include pelicans and cormorants , who join up with terns and oystercatchers to forage for fish and shellfish. There are sea lions on

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4960-406: The seabed and the natural resources on or beneath it. However, other states may lay cables and pipelines if authorized by the coastal state. The outer limit of a country's continental shelf cannot stretch beyond 350 nautical miles (650 km; 400 mi) of the baseline or beyond 100 nautical miles (190 km; 120 mi) from the 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) isobath , which is a line connecting

5040-401: The seashore (see also estuaries and coastal ecosystems ). While there is general agreement in the scientific community regarding the definition of coast, in the political sphere, the delineation of the extents of a coast differ according to jurisdiction . Government authorities in various countries may define coast differently for economic and social policy reasons. The coastline paradox

5120-427: The second principle of classification, a concordant coastline is a coastline where bands of different rock types run parallel to the shore. These rock types are usually of varying resistance , so the coastline forms distinctive landforms, such as coves. Discordant coastlines feature distinctive landforms because the rocks are eroded by the ocean waves . The less resistant rocks erode faster, creating inlets or bay ;

5200-490: The semi-circle whose diameter is a line drawn across the mouth of that indentation". The baseline across the bay must also be no more than 24 nautical miles (44 kilometres; 28 statute miles) in length. Internal waters are landward of the baseline. The coastal state has sovereignty over internal waters, enforce domestic law on vessels in internal waters, including to prohibit innocent passage . Lakes, rivers and bays are considered internal waters. "Archipelagic waters" within

5280-488: The shelf that are beyond its exclusive economic zone. This gives it the right to conduct hydrocarbon exploration and drilling works. From the eighteenth century until the mid twentieth century, the territorial waters of the British Empire , the United States, France and many other nations were three nautical miles (5.6 km) wide . Originally, this was the distance of a cannon shot, hence the portion of an ocean that

5360-404: The slope than up it. Steep waves that are close together and break with the surf plunging down onto the shore slope expend much of their energy lifting the sediment. The weak swash does not carry it far up the slope, and the strong backwash carries it further down the slope, where it either settles in deeper water or is carried along the shore by a longshore current induced by an angled approach of

5440-743: The submissions. List with date of submission and adoption of recommendation by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. List in order of date of submission, with date of submission. Coast Coasts are important zones in natural ecosystems , often home to a wide range of biodiversity . On land, they harbor important ecosystems such as freshwater or estuarine wetlands , which are important for bird populations and other terrestrial animals . In wave-protected areas, they harbor salt marshes , mangroves or seagrasses , all of which can provide nursery habitat for fin fish , shellfish , and other aquatic animals . Rocky shores are usually found along exposed coasts and provide habitat for

5520-549: The surface of the sea that complies with the laws and regulations adopted by the coastal state in accordance with the provisions of the UN Convention, within that portion of its exclusive economic zone beyond its territorial sea. Before the convention, coastal nations arbitrarily extended their territorial waters to attempt to control activities that are now regulated by the exclusive economic zone, such as offshore oil exploration or fishing rights (see Cod Wars ). The EEZ

5600-576: The term is often used as a synonym for the territorial sea. Vessels have different rights and duties when passing through each area defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), one of the most ratified treaties . States cannot exercise their jurisdiction in waters beyond the exclusive economic zone, which are known as the high seas . Normally, the baseline is

5680-758: The terms coast and coastal are often used to describe a geographic location or region located on a coastline (e.g., New Zealand's West Coast , or the East , West , and Gulf Coast of the United States .) Coasts with a narrow continental shelf that are close to the open ocean are called pelagic coast , while other coasts are more sheltered coast in a gulf or bay . A shore , on the other hand, may refer to parts of land adjoining any large body of water, including oceans (sea shore) and lakes (lake shore). The Earth has approximately 620,000 kilometres (390,000 mi) of coastline. Coastal habitats, which extend to

5760-609: The territorial sea, there is no standard rule for resolving such conflicts and states must negotiate a compromise. The US invoked a contiguous zone out to 24 nmi from the baseline on 29 September 1999. An exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extends from the baseline to almost 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) and therefore includes the contiguous zone. A coastal nation has control of all economic resources inside its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and pollution of those resources. However, it cannot prohibit passage or loitering above, on, or under

5840-502: The two major contenders of a 3-mile or 12-mile limit reaching the required two-thirds support. This lack of agreement had the potential to lead to serious international disputes. It was only at the UNCLOS III (1973-1982) conference, whose provisions did not come into force until 1994, that this issue was resolved at twelve nautical miles. Pirate radio broadcasting from artificial marine fixtures or anchored ships can be controlled by

5920-487: The wave the more energy it releases and the more sediment it moves. Coastlines with longer shores have more room for the waves to disperse their energy, while coasts with cliffs and short shore faces give little room for the wave energy to be dispersed. In these areas, the wave energy breaking against the cliffs is higher, and air and water are compressed into cracks in the rock, forcing the rock apart, breaking it down. Sediment deposited by waves comes from eroded cliff faces and

6000-476: The wave-front to the shore. These waves which erode the beach are called destructive waves. Low waves that are further apart and break by spilling , expend more of their energy in the swash which carries particles up the beach, leaving less energy for the backwash to transport them downslope, with a net constrictive influence on the beach. Riviera is an Italian word for "shoreline", ultimately derived from Latin ripa ("riverbank"). It came to be applied as

6080-407: The waves surge up the river estuaries from the ocean. Geologists classify coasts on the basis of tidal range into macrotidal coasts with a tidal range greater than 4 m (13 ft); mesotidal coasts with a tidal range of 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13 ft); and microtidal coasts with a tidal range of less than 2 m (7 ft). The distinction between macrotidal and mesotidal coasts

6160-406: The whole ocean system are ultimately connected, although certain regional classifications are useful and relevant. The waters of the continental shelves represent such a region. The term "coastal waters" has been used in a wide variety of different ways in different contexts. In European Union environmental management it extends from the coast to just a few nautical miles while in the United States

6240-482: The world's people live in coastal regions. According to a United Nations atlas, 44% of all people live within 150 km (93 mi) of the sea. Many major cities are on or near good harbors and have port facilities. Some landlocked places have achieved port status by building canals . Nations defend their coasts against military invaders, smugglers and illegal migrants. Fixed coastal defenses have long been erected in many nations, and coastal countries typically have

6320-441: Was expanded upon by Benoit Mandelbrot . Tides often determine the range over which sediment is deposited or eroded. Areas with high tidal ranges allow waves to reach farther up the shore, and areas with lower tidal ranges produce deposition at a smaller elevation interval. The tidal range is influenced by the size and shape of the coastline. Tides do not typically cause erosion by themselves; however, tidal bores can erode as

6400-547: Was passed by the 45th congressional session and enacted into law by the 19th President of the United States Rutherford Hayes on April 29, 1878. The 1878 National Quarantine Act was drafted as six sections establishing regulations for contagious or infections diseases, transmissible maritime vessels, transitioning quarantine authority from the States to the federal government, and the development of

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