Exclusive economic zone of Italy
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Italy has the world's 48th largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with an area of 541,915 km2 (209,235 mi2).[1] It claims an EEZ of 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) from its shores, which has long coastlines with the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the Ionian Sea to the south and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Its EEZ is limited by maritime boundaries with neighboring countries to the north-west, east and southeast.
Italy's western sea territory stretches from the west coast of Italy in the Tyrrhenian Sea including the island Sardinia. The island Sicily is in the southernmost area. Lampedusa is Italy's southernmost point. It shares treaty-defined maritime boundaries with France, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Malta, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia.
At the end of the 1990s, no country bordering the Mediterranean Sea proclaimed an EEZ, even if it had the right to do so. The basis of this situation were above all geographical considerations: at no point in the Mediterranean are the coasts 400 or more miles away from the opposite coasts of another country. There were also reasons of expediency, e.g. avoid disturbing the status quo for possible disputes. The Mediterranean was therefore characterized by extensive areas of high seas, and there were only limited areas reserved for fishing, such as a Maltese EEZ of 25 miles. In Italy, UNCLOS entered into force on 16 December 1994.[2]
At the end of the 20th century this principle was undermined by initiatives of some countries:
- 1994: Algeria's restricted fishing area
- 1997: Spain's fisheries protection zone
- 2003: ecological protection zones of France; Croatian ecological and fisheries protection zone
- 2005: Libya fisheries protection zone
- 2006: the ecological protection zone of Italy[3]
A boost to the creation of EEZs came from the European Union's marine resources management policy in order to counter the development of illegal fishing by fishing vessels from Asian countries (see Common Fisheries Policy).
Geography
These are the 10 largest islands of Italy.
| Territory | km2 | sq mi | EEZ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicily | 25,711 | 9,927 | ||
| Sardinia | 24,089 | 9,301 | ||
| Elba | 223 | 86 | ||
| Sant'Antioco | 109 | 42 | ||
| Pantelleria | 83 | 32 | ||
| San Pietro | 51 | 20 | ||
| Asinara | 51 | 20 | ||
| Ischia | 46 | 18 | ||
| Lipari | 37 | 14 | ||
| Salina | 26 | 10 | ||
| Total | 50,424 | 19,469 |