Extended continental shelf

The extended continental shelf, scientific continental shelf, or outer continental shelf refers to a type of maritime area established as a geo-legal paradigm by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Through the process known as the extension of the outer limit of the continental shelf or establishment of the outer edge of the continental margin, every coastal state has the privilege, granted by the international community of nations, to acquire exclusive and perpetual rights to exploit the biotic and abiotic resources found on the seabed and subsoil of these maritime areas.

Source: Wikipedia — Extended continental shelf (CC BY-SA 4.0)