France–Spain

The maritime boundary between France and Spain in the Atlantic Ocean was delimited by two simultaneous Conventions in 1974. The first Agreement established the continental shelf. The second Convention delimited the boundary from the midpoint of the mouth of the Bidassoa estuary seaward, until reaching the limit of France’s twelve nautical mile territorial sea. The boundary Agreements were based on equitable principles, and both utilized the equidistance methodology with geodesic line segments connecting the turning points. Parts of the continental shelf were defined in reference to the seabed’s bathymetry.

The territorial sea boundary extends in a northerly direction for just over twelve nautical miles, and the continental shelf boundary is 251 nautical miles in length.

Map showing the maritime boundary between France and Spain

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