1983 France – United Kingdom Maritime Boundary Convention
Encyclopedia
The 1983 France – United Kingdom Maritime Boundary Convention is a 1983 treaty
between France
and the United Kingdom
which establishes
the maritime boundary
between French Polynesia
and the British territory of the Pitcairn Islands
.
The treaty was signed in Paris
on 25 October 1983. The text of the treaty sets out a boundary
that is an equidistant line between the nearest islands of the two territories. The boundary is roughly north–south and consists of five straight-line maritime
segments defined by six individual coordinate points.
The convention came into force on 12 April 1984, after both states had ratified
it. In 1993, after the United Kingdom declared an Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ) around the Pitcairn Islands, the two states agreed that the boundary set out in the 1983 treaty should also be the boundary between the French and British EEZs in the South Pacific.
The full name of the treaty is Convention on Maritime Boundaries between the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
between France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which establishes
Boundary delimitation
Boundary delimitation, or simply delimitation, is the term used to describe the drawing of boundaries, but is most often used to describe the drawing of electoral boundaries, specifically those of precincts, states, counties or other municipalities...
the maritime boundary
Maritime boundary
Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,...
between French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
and the British territory of the Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...
.
The treaty was signed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 25 October 1983. The text of the treaty sets out a boundary
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
that is an equidistant line between the nearest islands of the two territories. The boundary is roughly north–south and consists of five straight-line maritime
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
segments defined by six individual coordinate points.
The convention came into force on 12 April 1984, after both states had ratified
Ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
it. In 1993, after the United Kingdom declared an Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
(EEZ) around the Pitcairn Islands, the two states agreed that the boundary set out in the 1983 treaty should also be the boundary between the French and British EEZs in the South Pacific.
The full name of the treaty is Convention on Maritime Boundaries between the Government of the French Republic and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.