Acronym for
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is one of the most most comprehensive instruments of
international law, providing in its 320 articles and 9 annexes a basic framework for all aspects of ocean
sovereignty, jurisdiction, use,
Signatory State rights and obligations.
The Convention was initiated at the Third Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1973. It was opened for signature in 1982 and entered into force in 1994. There are 130 Signatory States.