What does UNCLOS establish regarding territorial waters?

The correct response is based on the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which clearly establishes that a coastal state has the right to claim a territorial sea extending up to 12 nautical miles from its baseline, typically measured from the low-water line along the coast. This 12-nautical-mile zone grants the coastal state sovereignty over the waters, the seabed, and the air space above it, allowing it to exercise rights like fishing, shipping, and mineral exploration within this area.

While other distances, such as 200 nautical miles for an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), are significant under UNCLOS, they relate to different maritime zones and should not be confused with territorial waters. The designation of 500 nautical miles or 6 nautical miles does not accurately reflect the established norms of international law concerning territorial limits as defined by UNCLOS, which are universally recognized to be 12 nautical miles.