Legal Definitions - internal waters

Internal waters, also known as inland waters, refers to all bodies of water that are located entirely within the land territory of a country. These waters are considered an integral part of the nation's landmass, giving the country complete sovereignty over them, just as it has over its dry land. This includes any waters that are on the landward side of the baseline from which a country's territorial sea is measured.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• The Amazon River within Brazil: The vast stretches of the Amazon River that flow through Brazil, along with its numerous tributaries and associated floodplains, are considered internal waters of Brazil. Brazil has full and exclusive control over navigation, fishing, environmental protection, and resource extraction within these river systems, treating them as extensions of its land territory.

  This example illustrates how a major natural river system, entirely contained within a nation's borders, falls under the complete jurisdiction of that country as internal waters.

• The Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA: This large, landlocked saltwater lake is situated entirely within the state of Utah, which is part of the United States. Despite its size, it does not connect to the open ocean. Therefore, the U.S. government, through its state and federal agencies, exercises full sovereignty over the lake, regulating activities such as mineral extraction, recreation, and environmental management.

  This example demonstrates that even a large, natural lake, if fully enclosed by a country's land territory, is classified as internal waters, granting the nation complete control over it.

• The Suez Canal in Egypt: As an artificial waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, the Suez Canal is located entirely within the land boundaries of Egypt. Although it serves as a crucial international shipping route, Egypt maintains full sovereignty over the canal. This means Egypt controls all aspects of its operation, including transit fees, security, and maintenance, treating it as part of its national territory.

  This example highlights that even man-made canals of international importance, when situated wholly within a country's landmass, are considered internal waters, subject to that nation's exclusive control.