National Territory of the Philippines

Flashcards summarizing key concepts related to the national territory of the Philippines.

National Territory

The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction.

Internal Waters

Waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions.

Archipelagic State

A state made up of one or two archipelagos.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

A body of water extending up to 200 nautical miles, within which the state may exercise sovereign rights to explore, exploit, conserve and manage natural resources.

Treaty of Paris

The 1898 treaty that transferred the Philippines from Spain to the United States.

Territorial Sea

The belt of the sea located between the coast and internal waters, extending up to 12 nautical miles from the low water mark.

Contiguous Zone

An area extending up to 24 nautical miles from the territorial sea, where a coastal state may exercise jurisdiction to prevent infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws.

Kármán Line

The altitude of 100 km (62 mi) above the Earth's sea level, commonly defined as the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and outer space.

High Seas

Waters beyond the jurisdiction and sovereign rights of any particular state, considered res communes.

Straight Baseline Method

Allows a country with offshore islands and/or jagged coastlines to calculate its territorial seas from straight lines drawn from points on the coast to the islands.