Explained in plain English

Who owns the sea?

The sea is a mix of national and international zones. Coastal nations own a strip of water called territorial waters, usually 12 nautical miles wide, where they have full sovereignty. Beyond that are international waters, or the 'high seas', which belong to no single country. The Russian frigate was in these international waters near Plymouth.

Stories that explain this

Russian warship fired artillery near Plymouth on Monday

Questions this opens up

What are territorial waters? What are exclusive economic zones? Who makes sea laws?

Related explainers

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