The Convention on the High Seas is an international treaty created to codify the rules of international law relating to the high seas, otherwise known as international waters

International waters

The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems , and wetlands.Oceans,...

. The treaty was one of four agreed upon at the first United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty, is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea , which took place from 1973 through 1982...

 (UNCLOS I). The treaty was signed 29 April 1958 and entered into force 30 September 1962.
The treaty is divided into 37 articles:

Article 1: Definition of "high seas".

Article 2: Statement of principles

Article 3: Access to the sea for landlocked states

Articles 4–7: the concept of a Flag State

Flag State

The flag state of a commercial vessel is the state under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed.The flag state has the authority and responsibility to enforce regulations over vessels registered under its flag, including those relating to inspection, certification, and issuance of safety...

Article 8: Warship

Warship

A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...

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Article 9: Other ships in government service

Articles 10–12: Safety, rescue

Article 13: Outlawing transport of slaves

Slavery

Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...

 at sea

Articles 14–21: Piracy

Piracy

Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...

Article 22: Boarding of merchant ships by warships

Article 23: Hot pursuit

Hot pursuit

In law enforcement and international law, hot pursuit can refer to:*An immediate pursuit by the police such as a car chase.*In international treaty law, laws of federal states, or other legal rules governing cross-border police operations when law enforcement officers and agents of one...

, that is, pursuit of a vessel across borders for the purposes of law enforcement

Articles 24–25: Pollution

Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...

Articles 26–29: Submarine cables

Submarine cable

Submarine cable may refer to:*Submarine communications cable*Submarine power cable...

 and pipelines

Pipeline transport

Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....

Articles 30–37: legal framework, ratification, accession