Territorial waters refer to the sea area that extends up to 12 nautical miles from a country's coastline. Within this zone, the coastal nation has sovereignty, meaning it can enforce laws, regulate resources, and control maritime activities. This area is crucial for national security and economic interests. Beyond territorial waters, there is an area called the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which extends up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. In the EEZ, a country has special rights to explore and exploit marine resources, but other nations can still navigate through these waters under international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNCLOS.