Portugal has the 5th largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) within Europe, 3rd largest of the EU and the 20th largest EEZ in the world, at 1,727,408 km.
Portugal's exclusive economic zone
- Continental Portugal 327,667 km
- Madeira Islands 446,108 km
- Azores Islands 953,633 km
- Total: 1,727,408 km
Portugal submitted a claim to extend its jurisdiction over additional 2.15 million square kilometers of the neighboring continental shelf in May 2009, which would result in a marine territory of more than 3,877,408 km.
Resolved Dispute with Spain
Until 2015, Spain disputed the EEZ's southern border, maintaining that it should be drawn halfway between Madeira and the Canary Islands. Portugal exercises sovereignty over the Savage Islands, a small archipelago north of the Canaries, hence claiming an EEZ border further south. Spain had objected by arguing that the Savage Islands do not have a separate continental shelf, citing article 121 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On the basis of this article, Spain claimed that the Savage Islands were not islands, but instead uninhabitable rocks. The Savage Islands are a protected Portuguese natural reserve, and thus its only year-round inhabitants are workers of Madeira Natural Park who look over the isolated natural reserve, protecting its wildlife. Over the years, the Portuguese authorities have seized some Spanish fishing boats around the area for illegal fishing.
See also
References
- Seaaroundus.org Archived 29 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- Portugal applies to UN to Extend Its Continental Shelf Zone. Accessed 3 July 2011
- Communications received with regard to the submission made by Portugal to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf
- "Lacleta Muñoz, José Manuel: "Las fronteras de España en el mar". Documentos de trabajo 34-2004, Real Instituto Elcano". Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Part VIII, Article 121
- Carvalho, Luis and Leitão, Nuno, A Noção "Estratégica" das Ilhas Selvagens (in Portuguese) Archived 23 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – Part V
- Sea Around Us Project – View the EEZ of all nations (Note that this site does not distinguish between territorial waters and the EEZ, and so tends to overstate EEZ areas.)
- Task Group for the extension of the Continental Shelf map
- GIS data at VLIZ Maritime Boundaries Geodatabase
