List of parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

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Parties
Parties, dually represented by the European Union
Non-parties that are signatories
Non-parties that are not signatories United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea parties.svg
  Parties
  Parties, dually represented by the European Union
  Non-parties that are signatories
  Non-parties that are not signatories

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), which took place between 1973 and 1982. The Convention was opened for signature on 10 December 1982 and entered into force on 16 November 1994 upon deposition of the 60th instrument of ratification. [1]

Contents

The Convention has been ratified by 170 parties, which includes 169 states (166 United Nations member states plus the UN Observer state Palestine and non-member states the Cook Islands and Niue) and the European Union. [2] An additional 14 UN member states have signed, but not ratified the Convention.

Subsequently, the "Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" was signed in 1994, effectively amending the original Convention. The Agreement has been ratified by 152 parties (all of which are parties to the Convention), which includes 151 states (148 United Nations member states plus the UN Observer state Palestine, as well as the Cook Islands and Niue) and the European Union. [3] An additional three UN member states (Egypt, Sudan, USA) have signed, but not ratified the Agreement.

As per Article 4 of the Agreement, following adoption of the Agreement any state which ratifies the Convention also becomes a party to the Agreement. Additionally, only states which have previously established or establishes at the same time its consent to be bound by the Convention can become parties to the Agreement.

List of parties

States with a dagger () are landlocked states.

State [2] [3] [4] ConventionAgreement
SignedDepositedMethodSignedDepositedMethod
Flag of Albania.svg  Albania Jun 23, 2003AccessionJun 23, 2003Accession
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria Dec 10, 1982Jun 11, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 11, 1996Ratification
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola Dec 10, 1982Dec 5, 1990RatificationSep 7, 2010Accession
Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda Feb 7, 1983Feb 2, 1989RatificationMay 3, 2016Accession
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Oct 5, 1984Dec 1, 1995RatificationJul 29, 1994Dec 1, 1995Ratification
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia Dec 9, 2002AccessionDec 9, 2002Accession
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Dec 10, 1982Oct 5, 1994RatificationJul 29, 1994Oct 5, 1994Ratification
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria Dec 10, 1982Jul 14, 1995RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 14, 1995Ratification
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan Jun 16, 2016AccessionJun 16, 2016Accession
Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas Dec 10, 1982Jul 29, 1983RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Bahrain.svg  Bahrain Dec 10, 1982May 30, 1985Ratification
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh Dec 10, 1982Jul 27, 2001RatificationJul 27, 2001Accession
Flag of Barbados.svg  Barbados Dec 10, 1982Oct 12, 1993RatificationNov 15, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus Dec 10, 1982Aug 30, 2006RatificationAug 30, 2006Accession
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Dec 5, 1984Nov 13, 1998RatificationJul 29, 1994Nov 13, 1998Ratification
Flag of Belize.svg  Belize Dec 10, 1982Aug 13, 1983RatificationOct 21, 1994Accession
Flag of Benin.svg  Benin Aug 30, 1983Oct 16, 1997RatificationOct 16, 1997Accession
Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg  Bolivia Nov 27, 1984Apr 28, 1995RatificationApr 28, 1995Accession
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina Jan 12, 1994Succession from
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
May 26, 2021Accession
Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana Dec 5, 1984May 2, 1990RatificationJan 31, 2005Accession
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Dec 10, 1982Dec 22, 1988RatificationJul 29, 1994Oct 25, 2007Ratification
Flag of Brunei.svg  Brunei Dec 5, 1984Nov 5, 1996RatificationNov 5, 1996Accession
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Dec 10, 1982May 15, 1996RatificationMay 15, 1996Accession
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso Dec 10, 1982Jan 25, 2005RatificationNov 30, 1994Jan 25, 2005Ratification
Flag of Cape Verde.svg  Cabo Verde Dec 10, 1982Aug 10, 1987RatificationJul 29, 1994Apr 23, 2008Ratification
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon Dec 10, 1982Nov 19, 1985RatificationMay 24, 1995Aug 28, 2002Ratification
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Dec 10, 1982Nov 7, 2003RatificationJul 29, 1994Nov 7, 2003Ratification
Flag of Chad.svg  Chad Dec 10, 1982Aug 14, 2009RatificationAug 14, 2009Accession
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile Dec 10, 1982Aug 25, 1997RatificationAug 25, 1997Accession
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Dec 10, 1982Jun 7, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 7, 1996Ratification
Flag of the Comoros.svg  Comoros Dec 6, 1984Jun 21, 1994Ratification
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo Aug 22, 1983Feb 17, 1989Ratification
Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg  Republic of the Congo Dec 10, 1982Jul 9, 2008RatificationJul 9, 2008Accession
Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands Dec 10, 1982Feb 15, 1995RatificationFeb 15, 1995Accession
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica Dec 10, 1982Sep 21, 1992RatificationSep 20, 2001Accession
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Côte d'Ivoire Dec 10, 1982Mar 26, 1984RatificationNov 25, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia Apr 5, 1995Succession from
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Apr 5, 1995Accession
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba Dec 10, 1982Aug 15, 1984RatificationOct 17, 2002Accession
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus Dec 10, 1982Dec 12, 1988RatificationNov 1, 1994Jul 27, 1995Ratification
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Feb 22, 1993Jun 21, 1996Ratification
Succession to the signature of Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia
Nov 16, 1994Jun 21, 1996Ratification
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Dec 10, 1982Nov 16, 2004RatificationJul 29, 1994Nov 16, 2004Ratification
Flag of Djibouti.svg  Djibouti Dec 10, 1982Oct 8, 1991Ratification
Flag of Dominica.svg  Dominica Mar 28, 1983Oct 24, 1991Ratification
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic Dec 10, 1982Jul 10, 2009RatificationJul 10, 2009Accession
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador Sep 24, 2012AccessionSep 24, 2012Accession
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt Dec 10, 1982Aug 26, 1983RatificationMar 22, 1995
Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg  Equatorial Guinea Jan 30, 1984Jul 21, 1997RatificationJul 21, 1997Accession
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia Aug 26, 2005AccessionAug 26, 2005Accession
Flag of Eswatini.svg  Eswatini Jan 18, 1984Sep 24, 2012RatificationOct 12, 1994Sep 24, 2012Ratification
Flag of Europe.svg  European Union Dec 7, 1984Apr 1, 1998RatificationJul 29, 1994Apr 1, 1998Ratification
Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji Dec 10, 1982Dec 10, 1982RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Dec 10, 1982Jun 21, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 21, 1996Ratification
Flag of France.svg  France Dec 10, 1982Apr 11, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Apr 11, 1996Ratification
Flag of Gabon.svg  Gabon Dec 10, 1982Mar 11, 1998RatificationApr 4, 1995Mar 11, 1998Ratification
Flag of The Gambia.svg  Gambia Dec 10, 1982May 22, 1984Ratification
Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia Mar 21, 1996AccessionMar 21, 1996Accession
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Oct 14, 1994AccessionJul 29, 1994Oct 14, 1994Ratification
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana Dec 10, 1982Jun 7, 1983RatificationSep 23, 2016Accession
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Dec 10, 1982Jul 21, 1995RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 21, 1995Ratification
Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada Dec 10, 1982Apr 25, 1991RatificationNov 14, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala Jul 8, 1983Feb 11, 1997RatificationFeb 11, 1997Accession
Flag of Guinea.svg  Guinea Oct 4, 1984Sep 6, 1985RatificationAug 26, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg  Guinea-Bissau Dec 10, 1982Aug 25, 1986Ratification
Flag of Guyana.svg  Guyana Dec 10, 1982Nov 16, 1993RatificationSep 25, 2008Accession
Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti Dec 10, 1982Jul 31, 1996RatificationJul 31, 1996Accession
Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras Dec 10, 1982Oct 5, 1993RatificationJul 28, 2003Accession
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary Dec 10, 1982Feb 5, 2002RatificationFeb 5, 2002Accession
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland Dec 10, 1982Jun 21, 1985RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of India.svg  India Dec 10, 1982Jun 29, 1995RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 29, 1995Ratification
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia Dec 10, 1982Feb 3, 1986RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 2, 2000Ratification
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Dec 10, 1982Jul 30, 1985Ratification
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland Dec 10, 1982Jun 21, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 21, 1996Ratification
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Dec 7, 1984Jan 13, 1995RatificationJul 29, 1994Jan 13, 1995Ratification
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica Dec 10, 1982Mar 21, 1983RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Feb 7, 1983Jun 20, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 20, 1996Ratification
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan Nov 27, 1995AccessionNov 27, 1995Accession
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya Dec 10, 1982Mar 2, 1989RatificationJul 29, 1994Accession
Flag of Kiribati.svg  Kiribati Feb 24, 2003AccessionFeb 24, 2003Accession
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea Mar 14, 1983Jan 29, 1996RatificationNov 7, 1994Jan 29, 1996Ratification
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait Dec 10, 1982May 2, 1986RatificationAug 2, 2002Accession
Flag of Laos.svg  Laos Dec 10, 1982Jun 5, 1998RatificationOct 27, 1994Jun 5, 1998Ratification
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia Dec 23, 2004AccessionDec 23, 2004Accession
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon Dec 7, 1984Jan 5, 1995RatificationJan 5, 1995Accession
Flag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho Dec 10, 1982May 31, 2007RatificationMay 31, 2007Accession
Flag of Liberia.svg  Liberia Dec 10, 1982Sep 25, 2008RatificationSep 25, 2008Accession
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania Nov 12, 2003AccessionNov 12, 2003Accession
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg Dec 5, 1984Oct 5, 2000RatificationJul 29, 1994Oct 5, 2000Ratification
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar Feb 25, 1983Aug 22, 2001RatificationAug 22, 2001Accession
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi Dec 7, 1984Sep 28, 2010RatificationSep 28, 2010Accession
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia Dec 10, 1982Oct 14, 1996RatificationAug 2, 1994Oct 14, 1996Ratification
Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives Dec 10, 1982Sep 7, 2000RatificationOct 10, 1994Sep 7, 2000Ratification
Flag of Mali.svg  Mali Oct 19, 1983Jul 16, 1985Ratification
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta Dec 10, 1982May 20, 1993RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 26, 1996Ratification
Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg  Marshall Islands Aug 9, 1991Accession
Flag of Mauritania.svg  Mauritania Dec 10, 1982Jul 17, 1996RatificationAug 2, 1994Jul 17, 1996Ratification
Flag of Mauritius.svg  Mauritius Dec 10, 1982Nov 4, 1994RatificationNov 4, 1994Accession
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Dec 10, 1982Mar 18, 1983RatificationApr 10, 2003Accession
Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg  Micronesia Apr 29, 1991AccessionAug 10, 1994Sep 6, 1995Ratification
Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova Feb 6, 2007AccessionFeb 6, 2007Accession
Flag of Monaco.svg  Monaco Dec 10, 1982Mar 20, 1996RatificationNov 30, 1994Mar 20, 1996Ratification
Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia Dec 10, 1982Aug 13, 1996RatificationAug 17, 1994Aug 13, 1996Ratification
Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro Oct 23, 2006Succession from Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Serbia and Montenegro Oct 23, 2006Succession from Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Serbia and Montenegro
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco Dec 10, 1982May 31, 2007RatificationOct 19, 1994May 31, 2007Ratification
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique Dec 10, 1982Mar 13, 1997RatificationMar 13, 1997Accession
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar Dec 10, 1982May 21, 1996RatificationMay 21, 1996Accession
Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia Dec 10, 1982Apr 18, 1983RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Nauru.svg  Nauru Dec 10, 1982Jan 23, 1996RatificationJan 23, 1996Accession
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal Dec 10, 1982Nov 2, 1998RatificationNov 2, 1998Accession
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Dec 10, 1982Jun 28, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 28, 1996Ratification
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Dec 10, 1982Jul 19, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 19, 1996Ratification
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua Dec 9, 1984May 3, 2000RatificationMay 3, 2000Accession
Flag of Niger.svg  Niger Dec 10, 1982Aug 7, 2013RatificationAug 7, 2013Accession
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria Dec 10, 1982Aug 14, 1986RatificationOct 25, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Niue.svg  Niue Dec 5, 1984Oct 11, 2006RatificationOct 11, 2006Accession
Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia Aug 19, 1994Succession from
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Aug 19, 1994Accession
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Dec 10, 1982Jun 24, 1996RatificationJun 24, 1996Accession
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman Jul 1, 1983Aug 17, 1989RatificationFeb 26, 1997Accession
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan Dec 10, 1982Feb 26, 1997RatificationAug 10, 1994Feb 26, 1997Ratification
Flag of Palau.svg  Palau Sep 30, 1996AccessionSep 30, 1996Accession
Flag of Palestine.svg  Palestine Jan 2, 2015AccessionJan 2, 2015Accession
Flag of Panama.svg  Panama Dec 10, 1982Jul 1, 1996RatificationJul 1, 1996Accession
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea Dec 10, 1982Jan 14, 1997RatificationJan 14, 1997Accession
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay Dec 10, 1982Sep 26, 1986RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 10, 1995Ratification
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines Dec 10, 1982May 8, 1984RatificationNov 15, 1994Jul 23, 1997Ratification
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Dec 10, 1982Nov 13, 1998RatificationJul 29, 1994Nov 13, 1998Ratification
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal Dec 10, 1982Nov 3, 1997RatificationJul 29, 1994Nov 3, 1997Ratification
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar Nov 27, 1984Dec 9, 2002RatificationDec 9, 2002Accession
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania Dec 10, 1982Dec 17, 1996RatificationDec 17, 1996Accession
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Dec 10, 1982Mar 12, 1997RatificationMar 12, 1997Accession
Flag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda Dec 10, 1982May 18, 2023RatificationMay 18, 2023Accession
Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa Sep 28, 1984Aug 14, 1995RatificationJul 7, 1995Aug 14, 1995Ratification
Flag of San Marino.svg  San Marino Jul 19, 2024Accession
Flag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg  Sao Tome and Principe Jul 13, 1983Nov 3, 1987Ratification
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia Dec 7, 1984Apr 24, 1996RatificationApr 24, 1996Accession
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal Dec 10, 1982Oct 25, 1984RatificationAug 9, 1994Jul 25, 1995Ratification
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia Mar 12, 2001Succession as
Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006).svg  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
from Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
May 12, 1995Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Seychelles.svg  Seychelles Dec 10, 1982Sep 16, 1991RatificationJul 29, 1994Dec 15, 1994Ratification
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg  Sierra Leone Dec 10, 1982Dec 12, 1994RatificationDec 12, 1994Accession
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore Dec 10, 1982Nov 17, 1994RatificationNov 17, 1994Accession
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia May 28, 1993May 8, 1996Ratification
Succession to the signature of Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia
Nov 14, 1994May 8, 1996Ratification
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia Jun 16, 1995Succession from
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Jan 19, 1995Jun 16, 1995Ratification
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands Dec 10, 1982Jun 23, 1997RatificationJun 23, 1997Accession
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia Dec 10, 1982Jul 24, 1989Ratification
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Dec 5, 1984Dec 23, 1997RatificationOct 3, 1994Dec 23, 1997Ratification
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Dec 4, 1984Jan 15, 1997RatificationJul 29, 1994Jan 15, 1997Ratification
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka Dec 10, 1982Jul 19, 1994RatificationJul 29, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  St. Kitts and Nevis Dec 7, 1984Jan 7, 1993Ratification
Flag of Saint Lucia.svg  St. Lucia Dec 10, 1982Mar 27, 1985Ratification
Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg  St. Vincent and the Grenadines Dec 10, 1982Oct 1, 1993Ratification
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan Dec 10, 1982Jan 23, 1985RatificationJul 29, 1994
Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname Dec 10, 1982Jul 9, 1998RatificationJul 9, 1998Accession
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Dec 10, 1982Jun 25, 1996RatificationJul 29, 1994Jun 25, 1996Ratification
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Oct 17, 1984May 1, 2009RatificationOct 26, 1994May 1, 2009Ratification
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania Dec 10, 1982Sep 30, 1985RatificationOct 7, 1994Jun 25, 1998Ratification
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand Dec 10, 1982May 15, 2011RatificationMay 15, 2011Accession
Flag of East Timor.svg  Timor-Leste Jan 8, 2013AccessionJan 8, 2013Accession
Flag of Togo.svg  Togo Dec 10, 1982Apr 16, 1985RatificationAug 3, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Tonga.svg  Tonga Aug 2, 1995AccessionAug 2, 1995Accession
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago Dec 10, 1982Apr 25, 1986RatificationOct 10, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia Dec 10, 1982Apr 24, 1985RatificationMay 15, 1995May 24, 2002Ratification
Flag of Tuvalu.svg  Tuvalu Dec 10, 1982Dec 9, 2002RatificationDec 9, 2002Accession
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda Dec 10, 1982Nov 9, 1990RatificationAug 9, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Dec 10, 1982Jul 26, 1999RatificationFeb 28, 1995Jul 26, 1999Ratification
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Jul 25, 1997AccessionJul 29, 1994Jul 25, 1997Ratification
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay Dec 10, 1982Dec 10, 1992RatificationJul 29, 1994Aug 7, 2007Ratification
Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu Dec 10, 1982Aug 10, 1999RatificationJul 29, 1994Aug 10, 1999Ratification
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam Dec 10, 1982Jul 25, 1994RatificationApr 27, 2006Accession
Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen Dec 10, 1982Jul 21, 1987Ratification as the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen.
Also signed by the Yemen Arab Republic on Dec. 10 1982
prior to Yemeni unification. [2]
Oct 13, 2014Accession
Flag of Zambia.svg  Zambia Dec 10, 1982Mar 7, 1983RatificationOct 13, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe Dec 10, 1982Feb 24, 1993RatificationOct 28, 1994Jul 28, 1995Ratification

Signatories

An additional 13 UN member states have signed the Convention but have not ratified it. One UN member state has signed the Agreement but has not ratified it. Therefore, none of these States are currently parties to either the Convention or the Agreement.

State [2] [3] [4] Signed
Convention
Signed
Agreement
Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan Mar 18, 1983
Flag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan Dec 10, 1982
Flag of Burundi.svg  Burundi Dec 10, 1982
Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia Jul 1, 1983
Flag of the Central African Republic.svg  Central African Republic Dec 4, 1984
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Dec 10, 1982
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador Dec 5, 1984
Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia Dec 10, 1982
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran Dec 10, 1982
Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea Dec 10, 1982
Flag of Libya.svg  Libya Dec 3, 1984
Flag of Liechtenstein.svg  Liechtenstein Nov 30, 1984
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates Dec 10, 1982
Flag of the United States.svg  United States Jul 29, 1994

Other states

There are 14 United Nations member and observer states which have neither signed nor acceded either the Convention or the Agreement:

United States position

Although the United States helped shape the Convention and its subsequent revisions, [5] and though it signed the 1994 Agreement, it has not signed the Convention as it objected - among other things - to Part XI of the Convention. [6] [7]

In 1983 President Ronald Reagan, through Proclamation No. 5030, claimed a 200-mile exclusive economic zone. In December 1988 President Reagan, through Proclamation No. 5928, extended U.S. territorial waters from three nautical miles to twelve nautical miles for national security purposes. However a legal opinion from the Justice Department questioned the President's constitutional authority to extend sovereignty as Congress has the power to make laws concerning the territory belonging to the United States under the U.S. Constitution. In any event, Congress needs to make laws defining if the extended waters, including oil and mineral rights, are under state or federal control. [8] [9]

On 16 July 2012, the U.S. Senate had 34 Republican Senators who indicated their intention to vote against ratification of the Convention if it came to a vote. Since at least two-thirds of the 100 member Senate (at least 67 Senators) are required to ratify a treaty, consideration of the Convention was deferred again. [10]

Some American commentators, including former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, have warned that ratification of the Convention might create a precedent with regard to resources of outer space. [11]

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Transit passage is a concept of the law of the sea, which allows a vessel or aircraft the freedom of navigation or overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of a strait between one part of the high seas or exclusive economic zone and another. The requirement of continuous and expeditious transit does not preclude passage through the strait for the purpose of entering, leaving or returning from a state bordering the strait, subject to the conditions of entry to that state. The transit passage may be exercised regardless of the nationality (flag) of the ship, its form of ownership, the merchant or government status of a ship or warship, the private or government status of an aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic cooperation and politics</span> Between the eight Arctic nations

Arctic cooperation and politics are partially coordinated via the Arctic Council, composed of the eight Arctic states: the United States, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Denmark with Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The dominant governmental power in Arctic policy resides within the executive offices, legislative bodies, and implementing agencies of the eight Arctic countries, and to a lesser extent other countries, such as United Kingdom, Germany, European Union and China. NGOs and academia play a large part in Arctic policy. Also important are intergovernmental bodies such as the United Nations and NATO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency</span> International organization in Oceania

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is an intergovernmental agency established in 1979 to facilitate regional co-operation and co-ordination on fisheries policies between its member states in order to achieve conservation and optimum utilisation of living marine resources, in particular highly migratory fish stocks, for the benefit of the peoples of the region, in particular the developing countries. The office campus is located in Honiara, Solomon Islands

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Seas Treaty</span> International agreement for ocean protection

The United Nations agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction or BBNJ Agreement, also referred to by some stakeholders as the High Seas Treaty or Global Ocean Treaty, is a legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. There is some controversy over the popularized name of the agreement. It is an agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The text was finalised during an intergovernmental conference at the UN on 4 March 2023 and adopted on 19 June 2023. Both states and regional economic integration organizations can become parties to the treaty.

References

  1. "The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (A historical perspective)". United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea". United Nations Treaty Series . Retrieved 2013-12-01.
  3. 1 2 3 "Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea". United Nations Treaty Series . Retrieved 2015-04-02.
  4. 1 2 "Chronological lists of ratifications of, accessions and successions to the Convention and the related Agreements". United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  5. Documents on Global Issues, 1973-1976 Foreign Relations Series
  6. Roger Rufe, President of the Ocean Conservancy. Statement before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, October 21, 2003
  7. V Bantz, 'La Question De I'Adhesion Par Les Etats-Unis a La Convention Des Nations Unies Sur Le Droit De La Mer' (2003) 8 Annuaire Du Droit De La Mer 9–54
  8. Andrew Rosenthal (29 December 1988). "Reagan Extends Territorial Waters to 12 Miles". New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  9. Carol Elizabeth Remy (1992). "U.S. Territorial Sea Extension: Jurisdiction and International Environmental Protection". Fordham International Law Journal. 16 (4): 1208–1252. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  10. Johnson, Keith. "GOP Scuttles Law-of-Sea Treaty". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  11. Wong, Kristina. "Rumsfeld still opposes Law of Sea Treaty." The Washington Times, 14 June 2012.