Chilean Sea

Map showing the Chilean sea, the Chilean continental shelf, including the Antarctic claim

The Chilean Sea is the portion of the Pacific Ocean lying west of the Chilean mainland. The official Chilean usage for Chilean Sea was defined on 30 May 1974 when the Diario oficial de la Republica de Chile published Supreme Decree #346, which declared that "the waters surrounding or touching the shores of the national territory shall be known as Mar Chileno."[1]

The Chilean Sea contains significant amounts of phosphorite and manganese-iron nodules, which may be potential targets for future seafloor mining.[2]

Continental shelf and extended continental shelf

The continental shelf of Chile refers to the underwater extension adjacent to the Chilean coasts that stretches from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf in the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean.[3][4]

The scientific study and delimitation of the continental shelf and its outer limit are conducted by the National Committee for the Continental Shelf, established in 2007.[5][6]

The delimitation of Chile's continental shelf follows principles established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which sets guidelines for the delineation of continental shelves by coastal states. Chile has submitted claims to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf.

Apart from its economic importance, the continental shelf also holds geopolitical significance. Its delimitation has occasionally led to tensions with neighboring countries, particularly Argentina, which also claims rights over adjacent maritime areas.[7][8][9][10][11] Decisions and presentations made to the UN have influenced bilateral relations and Chile's maritime policies, making the continental shelf a critical issue in the country's security and defense agenda.

Presential sea

Map showing the Chilean sea, including Antarctic claim

The face sea, or heritage safeguard sea, is the maritime space that a certain coastal country demarcates, after an oceanopolitical appreciation, in order to indicate to third parties its zone of influence in the high seas adjacent to its exclusive economic zone, where its interests were or could be directly involved.

Without claims of sovereignty, by making a delimitation that includes the effective occupation of the high seas contiguous to its respective oceanic territory, the coastal state shows the interest in preserving said area from abusive uses or from certain activities that, due to its proximity, may affect the marine resources that inhabit its waters, especially, guarding the highly migratory straddling fishery resources from predation, and pollution of the marine habitat.

EEZ of Chile

Chile's exclusive economic zones, including Antarctic claim

Chile's EEZ includes areas around the Desventuradas Islands, Easter Island and the Juan Fernández Islands.

Region EEZ Area (km2)[12] Land area Total
Mainland 1,975,760 755 757 2,731,517
Desventuradas 449 836 5 449 841
Easter 720 412 164 720 576
Juan Fernandez 502 524 100 502 624
Total 3,648,532 755 921 4,404,453

See also

References

  1. ^ "Decreto 346: "Denomina Mar Chileno a las aguas del mar que bañan el territorio nacional"". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 4 June 1974. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  2. ^ García, Marcelo; Correa, Jorge; Maksaev, Víctor; Townley, Brian (2020). "Potential mineral resources of the Chilean offshore: an overview" (PDF). Andean Geology. 47 (1): 1–13. doi:10.5027/andgeoV47n1-3260.
  3. ^ Juan Ignacio Ipinza Mayor (December 2019). "La plataforma continental de Chile en el área del Cabo de Hornos y el Pasaje Drake: Tiempo de definiciones" (PDF). Center for Research and Strategic Studies (in Spanish). 12–2019. ISSN 0719-4110. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  4. ^ Jorge Guzmán (2017). "La plataforma continental extendida: el caso de Chile y Argentina en el mar austral y la Antártica". Revista de Marina (in Spanish). 957: 12–17. ISSN 0034-8511.
  5. ^ "Proyecto Plataforma Continental de Chile". National Committee for the Continental Shelf - Chile (in Spanish). Government of Chile. 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Decreto Nº 164 - Crea Comité Nacional de la Plataforma Continental" (in Spanish). FAO. 3 December 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  7. ^ Karen Manzano; Diego Jiménez (2023). "Plataforma continental y la Antártica Chilena: Antecedentes históricos, geopolítica y recursos naturales" (in Spanish). ANEPE. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Plataforma continental extendida en la Antártica y la situación de Chile" (in Spanish). Revista Marina. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Plataforma continental argentina: La nueva disputa con Reino Unido y el papel de Chile" (in Spanish). Biobío. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  10. ^ "La zona en el pasaje de Drake que genera una disputa territorial entre Argentina y Chile" (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Tensión entre Chile y Argentina por la plataforma continental" (in Spanish). La Tinta. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  12. ^ See Around Us Project (n.d.). "Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ)". Retrieved 3 June 2015. EEZ waters of: Chile 1,975,760 km², Desventuradas Isl. 449,836 km², Easter Isl. 720,412 km², J. Fernandez, Felix and Ambrosio Isl. 502,524 km²

23°00′S 70°45′W / 23.000°S 70.750°W / -23.000; -70.750