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Treaties

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Maritime zones, navigation, resources and the marine environment.

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Concluded
Montego Bay, 10 Dec 1982
In force
16 Nov 1994
Parties
172
Instrument
Treaty
State Signed Bound How
Afghanistan 18 Mar 1983 — Signature only
Albania — 23 Jun 2003 accession
Algeria 10 Dec 1982 11 Jun 1996 ratification
Angola 10 Dec 1982 5 Dec 1990 ratification
Antigua and Barbuda 7 Feb 1983 2 Feb 1989 ratification
Argentina 5 Oct 1984 1 Dec 1995 ratification
Armenia — 9 Dec 2002 accession
Australia 10 Dec 1982 5 Oct 1994 ratification
Austria 10 Dec 1982 14 Jul 1995 ratification
Azerbaijan — 16 Jun 2016 accession
Bahamas (The) 10 Dec 1982 29 Jul 1983 ratification
Bahrain 10 Dec 1982 30 May 1985 ratification
Bangladesh 10 Dec 1982 27 Jul 2001 ratification
Barbados 10 Dec 1982 12 Oct 1993 ratification
Belarus 10 Dec 1982 30 Aug 2006 ratification
Belgium 5 Dec 1984 13 Nov 1998 ratification
Belize 10 Dec 1982 13 Aug 1983 ratification
Benin 30 Aug 1983 16 Oct 1997 ratification
Bhutan 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 27 Nov 1984 28 Apr 1995 ratification
Bosnia and Herzegovina — 12 Jan 1994 succession
Botswana 5 Dec 1984 2 May 1990 ratification
Brazil 10 Dec 1982 22 Dec 1988 ratification
Brunei Darussalam 5 Dec 1984 5 Nov 1996 ratification
Bulgaria 10 Dec 1982 15 May 1996 ratification
Burkina Faso 10 Dec 1982 25 Jan 2005 ratification
Burundi 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
Cabo Verde 10 Dec 1982 10 Aug 1987 ratification
Cambodia 1 Jul 1983 6 Feb 2026 ratification
Cameroon 10 Dec 1982 19 Nov 1985 ratification
Canada 10 Dec 1982 7 Nov 2003 ratification
Central African Republic 4 Dec 1984 — Signature only
Chad 10 Dec 1982 14 Aug 2009 ratification
Chile 10 Dec 1982 25 Aug 1997 ratification
China 10 Dec 1982 7 Jun 1996 ratification
Colombia 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
Comoros 6 Dec 1984 21 Jun 1994 ratification
Congo 10 Dec 1982 9 Jul 2008 ratification
Cook Islands 10 Dec 1982 15 Feb 1995 ratification
Costa Rica 10 Dec 1982 21 Sep 1992 ratification
Croatia — 5 Apr 1995 succession
Cuba 10 Dec 1982 15 Aug 1984 ratification
Cyprus 10 Dec 1982 12 Dec 1988 ratification
Czech Republic 22 Feb 1993 21 Jun 1996 ratification
Côte d'Ivoire 10 Dec 1982 26 Mar 1984 ratification
Democratic People's Republic of Korea 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
Democratic Republic of the Congo 22 Aug 1983 17 Feb 1989 ratification
Denmark 10 Dec 1982 16 Nov 2004 ratification
Djibouti 10 Dec 1982 8 Oct 1991 ratification
Dominica 28 Mar 1983 24 Oct 1991 ratification
Dominican Republic 10 Dec 1982 10 Jul 2009 ratification
Ecuador — 24 Sep 2012 accession
Egypt 10 Dec 1982 26 Aug 1983 ratification
El Salvador 5 Dec 1984 — Signature only
Equatorial Guinea 30 Jan 1984 21 Jul 1997 ratification
Estonia — 26 Aug 2005 accession
Eswatini 18 Jan 1984 24 Sep 2012 ratification
Ethiopia 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
European Union 7 Dec 1984 1 Apr 1998 consent to be bound
Fiji 10 Dec 1982 10 Dec 1982 ratification
Finland 10 Dec 1982 21 Jun 1996 ratification
France 10 Dec 1982 11 Apr 1996 ratification
Gabon 10 Dec 1982 11 Mar 1998 ratification
Gambia 10 Dec 1982 22 May 1984 ratification
Georgia — 21 Mar 1996 accession
Germany — 14 Oct 1994 accession
Ghana 10 Dec 1982 7 Jun 1983 ratification
Greece 10 Dec 1982 21 Jul 1995 ratification
Grenada 10 Dec 1982 25 Apr 1991 ratification
Guatemala 8 Jul 1983 11 Feb 1997 ratification
Guinea 4 Oct 1984 6 Sep 1985 ratification
Guinea-Bissau 10 Dec 1982 25 Aug 1986 ratification
Guyana 10 Dec 1982 16 Nov 1993 ratification
Haiti 10 Dec 1982 31 Jul 1996 ratification
Honduras 10 Dec 1982 5 Oct 1993 ratification
Hungary 10 Dec 1982 5 Feb 2002 ratification
Iceland 10 Dec 1982 21 Jun 1985 ratification
India 10 Dec 1982 29 Jun 1995 ratification
Indonesia 10 Dec 1982 3 Feb 1986 ratification
Iran (Islamic Republic of) 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
Iraq 10 Dec 1982 30 Jul 1985 ratification
Ireland 10 Dec 1982 21 Jun 1996 ratification
Italy 7 Dec 1984 13 Jan 1995 ratification
Jamaica 10 Dec 1982 21 Mar 1983 ratification
Japan 7 Feb 1983 20 Jun 1996 ratification
Jordan — 27 Nov 1995 accession
Kenya 10 Dec 1982 2 Mar 1989 ratification
Kiribati — 24 Feb 2003 accession
Kuwait 10 Dec 1982 2 May 1986 ratification
Kyrgyzstan — 20 Sep 2025 accession
Lao People's Democratic Republic 10 Dec 1982 5 Jun 1998 ratification
Latvia — 23 Dec 2004 accession
Lebanon 7 Dec 1984 5 Jan 1995 ratification
Lesotho 10 Dec 1982 31 May 2007 ratification
Liberia 10 Dec 1982 25 Sep 2008 ratification
Libya 3 Dec 1984 — Signature only
Liechtenstein 30 Nov 1984 — Signature only
Lithuania — 12 Nov 2003 accession
Luxembourg 5 Dec 1984 5 Oct 2000 ratification
Madagascar 25 Feb 1983 22 Aug 2001 ratification
Malawi 7 Dec 1984 28 Sep 2010 ratification
Malaysia 10 Dec 1982 14 Oct 1996 ratification
Maldives 10 Dec 1982 7 Sep 2000 ratification
Mali 19 Oct 1983 16 Jul 1985 ratification
Malta 10 Dec 1982 20 May 1993 ratification
Marshall Islands — 9 Aug 1991 accession
Mauritania 10 Dec 1982 17 Jul 1996 ratification
Mauritius 10 Dec 1982 4 Nov 1994 ratification
Mexico 10 Dec 1982 18 Mar 1983 ratification
Micronesia (Federated States of) — 29 Apr 1991 accession
Monaco 10 Dec 1982 20 Mar 1996 ratification
Mongolia 10 Dec 1982 13 Aug 1996 ratification
Montenegro — 23 Oct 2006 succession
Morocco 10 Dec 1982 31 May 2007 ratification
Mozambique 10 Dec 1982 13 Mar 1997 ratification
Myanmar 10 Dec 1982 21 May 1996 ratification
Namibia 10 Dec 1982 18 Apr 1983 ratification
Naoero 10 Dec 1982 23 Jan 1996 ratification
Nepal 10 Dec 1982 2 Nov 1998 ratification
Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 10 Dec 1982 28 Jun 1996 ratification
New Zealand 10 Dec 1982 19 Jul 1996 ratification
Nicaragua 9 Dec 1984 3 May 2000 ratification
Niger 10 Dec 1982 7 Aug 2013 ratification
Nigeria 10 Dec 1982 14 Aug 1986 ratification
Niue 5 Dec 1984 11 Oct 2006 ratification
North Macedonia — 19 Aug 1994 succession
Norway 10 Dec 1982 24 Jun 1996 ratification
Oman 1 Jul 1983 17 Aug 1989 ratification
Pakistan 10 Dec 1982 26 Feb 1997 ratification
Palau — 30 Sep 1996 accession
Panama 10 Dec 1982 1 Jul 1996 ratification
Papua New Guinea 10 Dec 1982 14 Jan 1997 ratification
Paraguay 10 Dec 1982 26 Sep 1986 ratification
Philippines 10 Dec 1982 8 May 1984 ratification
Poland 10 Dec 1982 13 Nov 1998 ratification
Portugal 10 Dec 1982 3 Nov 1997 ratification
Qatar 27 Nov 1984 9 Dec 2002 ratification
Republic of Korea 14 Mar 1983 29 Jan 1996 ratification
Republic of Moldova — 6 Feb 2007 accession
Romania 10 Dec 1982 17 Dec 1996 ratification
Russian Federation 10 Dec 1982 12 Mar 1997 ratification
Rwanda 10 Dec 1982 18 May 2023 ratification
Samoa 28 Sep 1984 14 Aug 1995 ratification
San Marino — 19 Jul 2024 accession
Sao Tome and Principe 13 Jul 1983 3 Nov 1987 ratification
Saudi Arabia 7 Dec 1984 24 Apr 1996 ratification
Senegal 10 Dec 1982 25 Oct 1984 ratification
Serbia — 12 Mar 2001 succession
Seychelles 10 Dec 1982 16 Sep 1991 ratification
Sierra Leone 10 Dec 1982 12 Dec 1994 ratification
Singapore 10 Dec 1982 17 Nov 1994 ratification
Slovakia 28 May 1993 8 May 1996 ratification
Slovenia — 16 Jun 1995 succession
Solomon Islands 10 Dec 1982 23 Jun 1997 ratification
Somalia 10 Dec 1982 24 Jul 1989 ratification
South Africa 5 Dec 1984 23 Dec 1997 ratification
Spain 4 Dec 1984 15 Jan 1997 ratification
Sri Lanka 10 Dec 1982 19 Jul 1994 ratification
St. Kitts and Nevis 7 Dec 1984 7 Jan 1993 ratification
St. Lucia 10 Dec 1982 27 Mar 1985 ratification
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 10 Dec 1982 1 Oct 1993 ratification
State of Palestine — 2 Jan 2015 accession
Sudan 10 Dec 1982 23 Jan 1985 ratification
Suriname 10 Dec 1982 9 Jul 1998 ratification
Sweden 10 Dec 1982 25 Jun 1996 ratification
Switzerland 17 Oct 1984 1 May 2009 ratification
Thailand 10 Dec 1982 15 May 2011 ratification
Timor-Leste — 8 Jan 2013 accession
Togo 10 Dec 1982 16 Apr 1985 ratification
Tonga — 2 Aug 1995 accession
Trinidad and Tobago 10 Dec 1982 25 Apr 1986 ratification
Tunisia 10 Dec 1982 24 Apr 1985 ratification
Tuvalu 10 Dec 1982 9 Dec 2002 ratification
Uganda 10 Dec 1982 9 Nov 1990 ratification
Ukraine 10 Dec 1982 26 Jul 1999 ratification
United Arab Emirates 10 Dec 1982 — Signature only
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — 25 Jul 1997 accession
United Republic of Tanzania 10 Dec 1982 30 Sep 1985 ratification
Uruguay 10 Dec 1982 10 Dec 1992 ratification
Vanuatu 10 Dec 1982 10 Aug 1999 ratification
Viet Nam 10 Dec 1982 25 Jul 1994 ratification
Yemen 10 Dec 1982 21 Jul 1987 ratification
Zambia 10 Dec 1982 7 Mar 1983 ratification
Zimbabwe 10 Dec 1982 24 Feb 1993 ratification
How do we know? Imported from the source; not yet checked by a person.

UN Treaty Collection published this; the platform retrieved it 9 November 2026. Imported from the source; not yet checked by a person.

Source

Source
UN Treaty Collection
Licence
Public depositary record
Retrieved
9 November 2026

Version

Status
Active
Valid from
16 November 1994
Reviewed
Imported from the source; not yet checked by a person.

Authority

Record type
Treaty
Domains
treaties, environment

Where this comes from

Licence
Public depositary record
Retrieved
9 Nov 2026
Reviewed
Unreviewed