Exclusive economic zone of Australia

File:Territorial waters - Australia.svg's exclusive economic zones, including its Antarctic claim]]

Australia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) was declared on 1 August 1994 and extends from {{convert|12|to|200|nmi|km|lk=in}} from the coastline of Australia and its external territories, except where a maritime delimitation agreement exists with another state.[http://www.agriculture.gov.au/fisheries/domestic/zone The Australian Fishing Zone]Geoscience Australia. 2005. [http://www.ga.gov.au/nmd/mapping/marbound/bndrs.jsp Maritime Boundary Definitions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050405172325/http://www.ga.gov.au/nmd/mapping/marbound/bndrs.jsp |date=2005-04-05 }}. To the 12 nautical-mile boundary is Australia's territorial waters. Australia has the third-largest exclusive economic zone, behind France and the United States but ahead of Russia, with the total area of {{convert|8,148,250|sqkm}}, which exceeds its land territory.

The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) confirmed, in April 2008, Australia's rights over an additional {{convert|2.5|e6sqkm|sqmi}} of seabed beyond the limits of Australia's EEZ.[http://minister.ret.gov.au/TheHonMartinFergusonMP/Pages/UNCONFIRMSAUSTRALIA’SRIGHTSOVEREXTRA.aspx UN confirms Australia’s rights over extra 2.5 million square kilometres of seabed.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091025165652/http://minister.ret.gov.au/TheHonMartinFergusonMP/Pages/UNCONFIRMSAUSTRALIA%E2%80%99SRIGHTSOVEREXTRA.aspx |date=2009-10-25 }} Minister for Resources and Energy, The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, Media Release, 21 April 2008.{{cite web |url=http://minister.ret.gov.au/TheHonMartinFergusonMP/Pages/UNCONFIRMSAUSTRALIA’SRIGHTSOVEREXTRA.aspx |title=Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister for Tourism |accessdate=2008-11-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827172656/http://minister.ret.gov.au/TheHonMartinFergusonMP/Pages/UNCONFIRMSAUSTRALIA%E2%80%99SRIGHTSOVEREXTRA.aspx |archivedate=2008-08-27 }} Australia also claimed, in its submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, additional Continental Shelf past its EEZ from the Australian Antarctic Territory,Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, [https://www.un.org/Depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/submission_aus.htm Submission by Australia] but these claims were deferred on Australia's request. However, Australia's EEZ from its Antarctic Territory is approximately {{convert|2|e6sqkm|sqmi}}.

Maritime boundary

North and east of Australia is an extensive maritime boundary with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, New Caledonia (France), Solomon Islands, and New Zealand.

It starts in the Indian Ocean, then runs through the Timor Sea, Arafura Sea, Torres Strait, and Coral Sea and ends in the Pacific Ocean.

There is also a maritime border between Australia and Indonesia in the Indian Ocean between Australia's external territory of Christmas Island and the Indonesian island of Java.

Geography

class="wikitable" ! Region !! EEZ Area (km²)
{{Flagicon\|Australia}} Mainland Australia, {{Flag\|Tasmania}}, and other minor islandsIncluding the Ashmore and Cartier Islands and the Coral Sea Islands.	6,048,681
{{Flagicon\|Tasmania}} Macquarie Island	471,837
{{Flag\|Cocos Islands}}	463,371
{{Flag\|Norfolk Island}}	428,618
{{Flag\|Heard Island and McDonald Islands}}	410,722
{{Flag\|Christmas Island}}	325,021
{{Flag\|Australian Antarctic Territory}}	2,000,000The reference gives an approximate figure of 2 million square kilometres for the EEZ claimed by Australia as part of its Antarctic Territory. This is in addition to the 8 million square kilometre total given in the reference. This EEZ is also distinct from the 2.56 million square kilometres of additional continental shelf mentioned in the reference.
Total	8,148,250Geoscience Australia, 2012. [http://www.ga.gov.au/education/geoscience-basics/dimensions/oceans-and-seas.html Education: Oceans and Seas]