Glossary
Allocational Dispute
An allocational dispute is a disagreement over the allocation or ownership of natural resources that lie along or across a boundary.
Example:
Two countries sharing a river might enter an allocational dispute over the rights to its water for irrigation or hydroelectric power, especially during droughts.
Boundary
A boundary is a line that marks the limit of an area, defining ownership, jurisdiction, and control.
Example:
The Rio Grande River serves as a natural boundary between the United States and Mexico, regulating movement and access.
Contiguous Zone
The contiguous zone is a band of water extending up to 24 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state, where the state can enforce laws related to customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary matters.
Example:
A country might patrol its contiguous zone to prevent smuggling or illegal immigration before vessels reach its territorial waters.
Definitional Dispute
A definitional dispute arises from disagreements over the interpretation of legal documents or treaties that define a boundary.
Example:
A historical definitional dispute might occur if two countries interpret an old colonial treaty's description of a mountain range differently, leading to uncertainty about their shared border.
Dispute
A dispute is a disagreement, specifically in human geography, about where a boundary should be or how it should function.
Example:
The ongoing dispute over the Kashmir region highlights the complexities of territorial claims between India and Pakistan.
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a sea zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline, within which a coastal state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources.
Example:
Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone grants it the sole right to fish and extract oil and gas resources within 200 nautical miles of its coast.
High Seas
The high seas refer to all parts of the sea that are not included in the territorial sea or internal waters of any state, meaning they are open to all nations.
Example:
Fishing vessels from any country can operate freely in the high seas, as these waters are beyond national jurisdiction.
Irredentism
Irredentism is a political movement or policy advocating the annexation of territories administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity or historical possession.
Example:
A country might claim a neighboring region, arguing that its ethnic minority population should be reunited with the homeland, demonstrating a clear case of irredentism.
Law of the Sea
The Law of the Sea is an international treaty that establishes a comprehensive legal framework governing the uses of the world's oceans and seas.
Example:
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea helps resolve maritime boundary disputes by providing clear guidelines for territorial waters and resource rights.
Locational Dispute
A locational dispute involves disagreements over where a boundary should be physically placed on the ground.
Example:
After a war, two nations might have a locational dispute if they cannot agree on the precise placement of the new border line, especially if it divides communities or resources.
Operational Dispute
An operational dispute occurs when there are disagreements about how a boundary should function or be managed in practice.
Example:
A operational dispute could arise between two countries regarding the flow of migrants or goods across their shared border, with one side wanting stricter controls and the other advocating for more open movement.
Territorial Sea
The territorial sea is a belt of coastal waters extending up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state, over which the state has complete sovereignty.
Example:
A nation has the right to enforce its laws and control all activities, including fishing and shipping, within its territorial sea.