Law of Maritime Boundaries, Internal Waters, and Airspace

Article 1

  • For the purposes of this decree:-

    • A) The term "nautical mile" means 1,852 meters.
    • B) The term "bay" means any creek, cove, inlet, or arm of the sea.
    • C) The term "island" means any island, reef, rock, shoal, sandbank, sandbar, or permanent artificial structure not submerged at the lowest tide reached by low islands.
    • D) The term "shoal" means an area covered by shallow water, part of which remains unsubmerged at the lowest tide reached by low islands.
    • E) The term "coast" means the coasts of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Persian Gulf.

Article 2

  • The territorial sea of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the airspace above it, and the seabed of the territorial sea and the subsoil beneath it, are all subject to the sovereignty of the Kingdom, with respect to the provisions established in international law.

Article 3

  • The internal waters of the Kingdom include:-

    • A) The waters of the bays located along the coasts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    • B) The waters above and towards the land from any shoal not more than twelve nautical miles away from the land or from any Saudi Arabian island.
    • C) The waters between the land and any Saudi Arabian island not more than twelve nautical miles away from the land.
    • D) The waters between the Saudi Arabian islands that are not more than twelve nautical miles apart from each other.

Article 4

  • The territorial sea of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia includes the internal waters of the Kingdom and extends seaward to a distance of twelve nautical miles.

Article 5

  • The baseline lines from which the territorial sea of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is measured are as follows:-

    • A) The lowest limit of the water recession on the coast if the mainland or the shore of an island is entirely exposed to the sea.
    • B) In the case of a gulf facing the open sea, lines are drawn from one end of the land at the entrance of the gulf to the other end.
    • C) In the case of a shoal not more than twelve nautical miles away from the mainland or from a Saudi Arabian island, lines are drawn from the land or the island along the outer edge of the shoal.
    • D) In the case of a port or harbor facing the open sea, lines are drawn along the side facing the sea from the most prominent structures of the port or harbor, and lines are also drawn between the ends of those structures.
    • E) In the case of an island not more than twelve nautical miles away from the mainland, lines are drawn from the mainland to the outer shores of the island.
    • F) In the case of a group of islands that can be connected by lines each not exceeding twelve nautical miles in length and the nearest island is not more than twelve nautical miles from the mainland, lines are drawn from the mainland then along the outer shores of all the islands in the group if the islands are in a chain, or along the outermost shores of the group if the islands are not in a chain.
    • G) In the case of a group of islands that can be connected by lines each not exceeding twelve nautical miles in length, lines are drawn along the shore of all the islands in the group if the islands are in a chain, or along the outermost shores of the most prominent islands in the group if the islands are not in a chain.

Article 6

  • If, by measuring the territorial sea in accordance with the provisions of this decree, an area considered part of the high seas is enclosed on all sides by the territorial sea and its extent in any direction does not exceed twelve nautical miles, then that area shall be considered part of the territorial sea. The same rule applies to any clearly distinct bay from the high sea that can be enclosed by drawing a single straight line not exceeding twelve nautical miles in length.

Article 7

  • If the waters of another state overlap with the territorial sea measured from the baseline mentioned in Article Five of this decree, our government must determine the boundaries by agreement with that state in accordance with the principles of equity.

Article 8

  • For the implementation of the Kingdom's laws regarding security, navigation, financial, and health purposes, the maritime supervision covers an area adjacent to and following the territorial sea, extending to a distance of six nautical miles added to the twelve nautical miles measured from the baseline of the territorial sea according to Article Five of this decree.

Article 9

  • The provisions of this decree do not affect the Kingdom's rights regarding fishing.

Article 10

  • Decree No. 6/5/4/3711 issued on the first of Sha'ban in the year 1368 AH corresponding to the twenty-eighth of May in the year 1949 AD is hereby repealed.

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