THE Continental shelf is an expression of the scope of geology, which refers to the edge of continents starting at the coastline and extending to the sea.
The extension of the continental shelf will depend on the geological evolution of the country or continent in question, because they are areas submerged by the sea. The continental shelves have an average length of 70 to 90 km (but can reach hundreds of kilometers) and a depth of 200 meters.
The continental shelf has a gentle slope and ends with the continental slope, where the slope is greater.
Within the continental shelf area is the exclusive economic zone, a strip that extends from twelve to two hundred nautical miles. The country that has an exclusive economic zone exercises sovereignty rights in that area, being able to control the activities carried out there.
The Brazilian continental shelf is mentioned and has its legal parameters defined in accordance with law 8.617 of January 1993.
Economic importance of the continental shelf
Each coastal country exercises sovereign rights over its corresponding continental shelf, thus being able to explore and exploit its natural resources.
The continental shelves are of great economic importance and are the target of many studies, because they are a great source of natural resources. Some activities established on the continental shelves are very important, such as the fisheries, oil exploration and prospection.
Countries can also introduce cables and pipelines and carry out scientific investigations, but this requires the consent of the Brazilian government.
continental shelf and international law
In December 1982, the United Nations (UN) was responsible for a Convention in Montego Bay (Jamaica) that defined important parameters regarding the international maritime domain.
According to this convention, the continental shelf of a coastal country is constituted by the bed and subsoil of underwater regions that extend beyond the territorial sea, up to a distance of 200 miles seafaring. However, one of the articles of the Convention allows countries to request the expansion of their continental shelf up to the maximum limit of 350 nautical miles, which Brazil did.
At the Montego Bay Convention, the UN established the following division:
- territorial sea - Up to 12 nautical miles;
- contiguous zone - From 12 to 24 nautical miles;
- Exclusive Economic Zone - From 24 to 200 nautical miles
- Continental shelf - variable length that can go up to 200 nautical miles;
- Extended continental shelf - From 200 to 350 nautical miles.