News Snapshot:
Just a few weeks ago, the United States grew in size by 1 million square kilometers (more than 386,000 square miles) – that’s almost twice the area of Spain. The unexpected growth spurt was not the result of strange geological forces, nor the invasion of a foreign land, but the States attempting to lay claim to its surrounding ocean-floor territory. Continental shelves are an area of seabed that surrounds large landmasses where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean. Under international law, countries can claim these continental shelves, allowing them to manage and exploit its resources. Advertisement...