Law No. 1/98 on the delimitation of the territorial sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone

Sao Tome and Printjpe Law No. 1/98 on ru;Jjmjption of the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone JL Whereas the need to safeguard the legitimate righ1s and essential interests of the Nation with regard to living and non-living resources in the maritime domain in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Whereas fisheries and the exploitation of natural living and non-living resources that exist in the maritime bed and subsoil thereof: as well as in the adjacent waters contiguous to the territorial sea ofSao Tome and Principe have a paramount importance to the national economy; Taking into account the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Whereas it is necessary to set up the boundary delimitation of its exclusive economic zone, where the State of Sao Tome and Principe will enjoy the sovereign rights in and exclusive jurisdiction over all the natural living and non-living resources therein, Now therefore, The National Assembly, under subparagraph (b) of article 86 of the Constitution, enacts as follows: AJticle 1 Territorial sea The tmitorial sea in the Democratic bpublic of Sao Tome and Principe has a breadth of twelve nautical miles, measured from the baseline, whose outer limit is a line ~ery point of which is at a distance that is equal to twelve nautical miles from to the nearest point of the baseline. Article 2 An;hipelqic baseline 1. The baseline from which the breadth of the territorial~ in the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe is measured, is straight lines joining successively the outermost points in the two main islands, islets and emersed reefs that lie around thereof and that are determined by the following geographical coordinates: Puts Vertices Latitude Longitude Degrees Minutes Seconds N-S Degrees Minvtes Set:onds 1 Ilheu das Rotas {SE) 00 00 45 s 06 31 44 2 Ilheu das Rotas {E) 00 00 47 s 06 31 21 3 Ilheu das Rotas (SW) 00 00 28 s 06 31 00 4 Ilheu Gabado (SW) 00 07 S2 N 06 S9 05 s Ilheue&o(W) 00 12 02 N 06 27 S8 Entry into force: 31 March 1998. E-W E E E E E Points Vertices Latitude Longitude Degrees Minutes Seconds N-S Degrees Minutes Seconds 6 Ponta Furada (W) 00 14 39 N 06 27 56 7 PontaAlema 00 15 48 N 06 28 20 8 Ponta Diogo Vaz (W) 00 19 06 N 06 29 51 9 Pedra de Cale (NW) 01 43 40 N 07 22 55 10 Ilheus Monteiros (NE) 01 41 14 N 07 28 20 11 Ponto a Sul da Ponta da Gar~a 01 37 40 N 07 27 52 (E) 12 Ilheu Caro~o (SE) 01 30 47 N 07 26 05 13 Ilheu Santana (E) 00 14 29 N 06 45 59 14 Sete Pedras (SE) 00 02 17 N 06 37 48 2. The ellipsoid and the datum points that have been used to determined the geographical coordinates are as follows: Ellipsoid used: International Datum points: (a) in Sao Tome Island: Fortaleza Latitude: Longitude: Morro do Papagaio Latitude: Longitude: 0° 20' 49,02''N 6° 44'41,85"E IO 36'46,87''N 7° 23'39,65"E Article 3 Waters within the baseline The waters that are enclosed by the baseline are the archipelagic waters in the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe. Article 4 Delimitation of exclusive economic zone E-W E E E E E E E E E 1. The breadth of the exclusive economic zone in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is two hundred nautical miles, measured from the baselines that are used to determine the breadth of the territorial sea. 2. In case of specific provisions set up in international treaties signed together with other States whose coasts are adjacent to the ones in the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe, the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe shall not be extended beyond the median line every point of which is equidistant to the other one. 3. The equidistance line means the line every point of which is at the same equal distance from the nearest point of the baseline drawn up by each State according to international law. Article 5 <3etw'aPhical coordinates 1. The outer limit of the exclusive economic zone is determined by the listing of geographical coordinates herein under defined and according to the chart hereinafter attached as a schedule of this Law: Latitude Longitude Points Degrees Minutes Seconds Decimal N-S Degrees Minutes Seconds Decimal (m.&s.) (m.&s.) 1 1 28 47.7 0.479917 s 7 16 16.9 0.271361 2 1 05 50.3 0.097306 s 6 40 38.3 0.677306 3 0 47 15.8 0.787722 s 6 11 30.7 0.191861 4 0 29 09.4 0.485944 s 5 43 56.3 0.732306 5 0 05 33.8 0.092722 s 5 06 05.2 0.101444 6 0 41 45.3 0.695917 N 3 37 03.2 0.617556 7 0 54 37.0 0.910278 N 3 12 11.9 0.203306 8 1 11 35.5 0.193194 N 3 16 22.4 0.272889 9 1 24 44.0 0.412222 N 3 20 44.8 0.345778 10 1 36 45.5 0.612639 N 3 25 37.9 0.427194 11 1 56 23.1 0.939750 N 3 35 09.0 0.585833 12 2 05 56.3 0.098972 N 4 25 32.8 0.585833 13 2 16 08.6 0.269056 N 5 05 47.1 0.096417 14 2 25 11.6 0.419889 N 5 32 02.5 0.534028 15 2 33 24.7 0.556861 N 5 51 26.2 0.857278 16 2 49 33.4 0.825944 N 6 24 15.7 0.404361 17 2 56 41.5 0.944861 N 6 43 07.2 0.718667 E-W E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Points Latitude Longitude Degrees Minutes Seconds Decimal N-S Degrees Minutes Seconds Decimal E-W (m.&s.) (m.&s.) 18 3 01 31.2 0.025333 N 7 01 26.7 0.024083 E 19 3 02 33.5 0.042639 N 7 07 38.9 0.127472 E 20 2 52 34.3 0.876194 N 7 22 35.9 0.376639 E 21 2 38 50.7 0.647417 N 7 42 20.8 0.705778 E 22 2 31 35.3 0.526472 N 7 53 20.4 0.889000 E 23 2 22 58.9 0.383028 N 8 06 56.8 0.115778 E 24 2 18 06.9 0.301917 N 8 14 23.9 0.239972 E 25 2 11 30.9 0.191917 N 8 23 44.5 0.395694 E 26 2 04 20.2 0.072278 N 8 32 45.0 0.545833 E 27 1 49 01.5 0.817083 N 8 30 25.8 0.507167 E 28 1 42 09.0 0.702500 N 8 28 57.6 0.482667 E 29 1 27 42.9 0.461917 N 8 25 12.0 0.420000 E 30 1 11 40.3 0.194528 N 8 21 35.5 0.359861 E 31 0 55 48.1 0.930028 N 8 16 55.1 0.281972 E 32 0 34 19.0 0.571944 N 8 11 54.3 0.198417 E 33 0 23 43.5 0.395417 N 8 09 15.4 0.154278 E 34 0 13 02.S 0.217361 N 7 59 41.4 0.994833 E 35 0 00 05.0 0.001389 s 7 so 28.0 0.841111 E 36 0 17 28.0 0.291111 s 7 41 21.1 0.689194 E 37 0 25 45.5 0.429306 s 7 37 42.9 0.628583 E 38 0 52 51.9 0.881083 s 7 28 25.6 0.473778 E 2. Points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are the equidistance line between the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. 3. Point 1 (triple point) is the equidistance point from the baseline in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, the corresponding ones in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and in the Republic of Gabon. 4. Points 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are the geometrical points whose distance to the outermost point of the baseline is 200 nautical miles, which are determined by drawing an arc of circumference with a radius of 200 nautical miles and centered on the points of the baseline herein under defined: (a) Ponta Furada: Latitude: Longitude: (b) Ponta Diogo Vaz: Latitude: Longitude: (c) Principe Ilheu Bombom: Latitude: Longitude: 0° 14' 39''N 6° 27'56"E 0° 19'06"N 6° 29'5l"E 1° 31'03''N 7° 25'05"E. 5. Points 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 setup the equidistance line between the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Nigeria. 6. Point 19 (triple point) is the equidistance point from the baseline in the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe, the corresponding ones in the Republic of Nigeria and in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. 7. Points 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 set up the median line between the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. 8. Point 26 ( triple point) is the equidistance point from the baseline in the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe, the corresponding ones in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and in the Republic of Gabon. 9. Points 26, 27, 28 and 29 set up the median line between the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. 10. Points 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 1 set up the median line between the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Gabon. Article 6 Ri&}lts of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Princu,e in the exclusive economic zone The Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe exercises the rights set up in and deriving from international Conventions and laws, including but not limited to: (a) the sovereign right for the purpose of exploration, exploitation, conservation and management of the natural living and non-living resources in the seabed, the subsoil and superjacent waters thereof included; (b) the exclusive rights and jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; ( c) the exclusive jurisdiction over other activities related to economic exploration and exploitation of the zone, including the use of maritime currents and any other maritime feature whatsoever that may bring about technical and scientific development; (d) jurisdiction with regard to the preservation of the marine environment, especially, the control and elimination of pollution; ( e) scientific research. Article Z Riahts of other States 1. All remaining States may enjoy the freedoms of navigation, overflight and installation of submarine cables, tubes, as well as the other internationally legitimate use of the sea related to navigation and communication. 2. The installation of submarine cables and tubes shall be undertaken under arrangement with the State of the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe. Articles The Sc<WC of this Law This Law does neither go to all length nor jeopardize the scope of the rights of the State of the Democratic Republicof Sao Tome and Principe that derive from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted on 10 December 1982, and other eventual legal documents related thereto. Article 9 Revocation Decree-Laws Nos. 14n8, 1sns and 48/82 are hereby revoked. Article 10 Entry into force This Law will enter into force on the date of publication thereof. Enacted by the National Assembly, in Sao Tome town, on 11 March 1998.