In which zone may a coastal State enforce its customs, immigration and sanitary laws, although it is beyond its territorial sea?
- A.The contiguous zone
- B.The exclusive economic zone
- C.The continental shelf
- D.The high seas
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, the contiguous zone, which lies between twelve and twenty-four nautical miles from the baseline. In this belt the coastal State is not sovereign, but it may exercise the control needed to prevent and punish the infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration and sanitary laws within its territory or territorial sea. Option B, the exclusive economic zone, reaches to two hundred nautical miles and carries rights over resources, research and artificial islands rather than police powers of this kind. Option C, the continental shelf, is a seabed zone and gives rights over the minerals and the sedentary species of the sea floor. Option D, the high seas, lie outside national jurisdiction and are open to the ships of every State. The limit of twenty-four nautical miles was fixed by the Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, the earlier convention of 1958 having allowed only twelve.
Read the full article: India's Coastline and Maritime Zones: Facts and PYQs
Practice Questions
View allWhat is the total length of India's coastline, counting the island groups?
- A.About 5,422 kilometres
- B.About 6,100 kilometres
- C.About 7,516 kilometres
- D.About 15,200 kilometres
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The figure usually quoted is 7,516.6 kilometres, which counts the coast of the mainland together with that of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
Read the full explanation →Which Indian State has the longest coastline?
- A.Gujarat
- B.Andhra Pradesh
- C.Tamil Nadu
- D.Maharashtra
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Its coast runs along the Gulf of Kachchh and the Gulf of Khambhat and around the Kathiawar peninsula, which gives it a far longer shoreline than any other State, and it is followed by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Read the full explanation →The territorial waters of India extend up to how many nautical miles from the baseline?
- A.12 nautical miles
- B.24 nautical miles
- C.200 nautical miles
- D.350 nautical miles
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Under the Maritime Zones Act of 1976 the territorial waters extend to twelve nautical miles from the baseline, and within them India has sovereignty over the water, the seabed, the subsoil and the air space, subject only to the right of innocent passage of foreign ships.
Read the full explanation →The exclusive economic zone of a coastal State extends up to
- A.12 nautical miles
- B.24 nautical miles
- C.100 nautical miles
- D.200 nautical miles
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Within this zone the coastal State has sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing the living and non-living resources of the water, the seabed and the subsoil, and exclusive jurisdiction over artificial islands, marine scientific research and the protection of the marine environment.
Read the full explanation →The Ten Degree Channel separates which two groups of islands?
- A.Andaman and Nicobar groups
- B.Lakshadweep and Minicoy
- C.Minicoy and the Maldives
- D.Great Nicobar and Sumatra
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The Ten Degree Channel runs roughly along the parallel of ten degrees north and separates Little Andaman in the south of the Andaman group from Car Nicobar in the north of the Nicobar group.
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