Decree No. 33 of 1958 defining the Territorial Sea of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

(a) Decree No. 6/4/5/3711 defining the territorial waters of the Kingdom, 28 May 1949 [Repealed] Decree No. 33 defining the territorial waters of the Kingdom, 16 February 1958. By Grace of God Almighty; We, Saud Ibn Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in view of the dictates of public interest, have decreed as follows: Article 1. For the purposes of this Decree; (a) The term “nautical mile” is the equivalent of 1852 meters; (b) The term “bay” includes any inlet, lagoon, or other arm of the sea; (c) the term “island” includes any islet, reef, rock, bar, or permanent artificial structure not submerged at lowest low tide; (d) The term “shoal” denotes an area covered by shallow water, a part of which is not submerged at lowest low tide; and (e) The term “coast” refers to 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 air space above and the bed and subsoil beneath are under the sovereignty of the kingdom subject to the established rules of international law. Article 3. The inland waters of the Kingdom include: (a) The waters of the bays along the coasts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; (b) The waters above and landward from any shoal no more than twelve nautical miles. Article 4. The territorial sea of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lies outside the inland waters of the Kingdom and extends seaward for a distance of (twelve) nautical miles. Article 5. The following are established as the baselines from which the territorial sea of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is measured: (a) Where the shore of the mainland or an island is fully exposed to the open sea, the lowest low water mark on the shore; (b) Where a bay confronts the open sea, lines drawn from headland to head-land across the mouth of the bay; (c) Where a shoal is situated not more than twelve nautical miles from the mainland or from a Saudi Arabia island, lines drawn from the mainland or the island and along the outer edge of the shoal; (d)Where a port or harbour confronts the open sea, lines drawn along the seaward side of the outermost works of the port or harbour and between such works; (e) Where an island is not more than twelve nautical miles from the mainland, lines from the mainland along the outer shores of the island; (f) Where there is an island group which may be connected by lines not more than twelve nautical miles, of which the island nearest to the mainland is not more than twelve nautical miles from the mainland, lines drawn from the mainland and along the outer shores of all the islands of the group of the islands form a chain, or along the outer shores of the outermost islands of the group if the islands do not form a chain; and (g) Where there is an island group which may be connected by lines not more than twelve nautical miles long, of which the island nearest to the mainland is more than twelve nautical miles from the mainland, lines drawn along the outer shores of all the islands of the group if the islands do not form a chain. Article 6. If the measurement of the territorial sea in accordance with the provisions of this Decree leaves an area of high sea wholly surrounded by the territorial sea and extending not more than twelve nautical miles in any direction, such area shall form part of the territorial sea. The same rule shall apply to a pronounced pocket of high sea which may be wholly enclosed by drawing a single straight line not more than twelve nautical miles long. Article 7. If the territorial sea measured from the baselines fixed by Article 5 of this Decree be overlapped by the waters of another State, boundaries will be determined by our Government in agreement with the State in accordance with equitable principles. Article 8. With a view to assuring compliance with the laws of the Kingdom relating to security, navigation, fiscal and sanitary matters, maritime surveillance may be exercised in a contiguous zone outside the territorial sea; extending for a further distance of six nautical miles and measured from the baselines of the territorial sea, according to Article 5 of this Decree. Article 9. Nothing in this Decree shall affect the rights of the Kingdom with respect to fishing. Article 10. The Royal Decree No. 6/5/4/3711 promulgated on the 1st day of Sha’aban, 1368, corresponding to the 28th of May, 1949, is hereby revoked. Article 11. Our Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance and Public Health are charged respectively with the execution of this Decree. Article 12. This Decree will come into force as from the date of its publication in the official gazette.