The United States has the world's second-largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The total size is 11351000km22.[1] Areas of its EEZ are located in three oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Most notable areas are Alaska, Hawaii, the East Coast, West Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States.
The EEZ borders with Russia to the north west, Canada to the north, Cuba, Bahamas, Mexico to the south, Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla to the south east and Samoa, Niue to the south west. The unincorporated territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands are included.
| Territory | EEZ area (km2) | EEZ area (sq mi) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3770021sqkm | A non-contiguous state in the northwest extremity of the North American continent. | |||
| – Northwestern Islands | 1579538sqkm | Including Midway Atoll, these islands form the Leeward Islands of the Hawaiian island chain. | ||
| U.S. East Coast | 915763sqkm | The mainland coastal states of the Eastern United States. | ||
| – Southeastern Islands | 895346sqkm | These islands form the Windward Islands of the Hawaiian island chain. | ||
| U.S. West Coast | 825549sqkm | The mainland coastal states of the Western United States. | ||
| 749268sqkm | An organized unincorporated Commonwealth of the United States. | |||
| U.S. Gulf Coast | 707832sqkm | The mainland coastal states of the Southern United States. | ||
| Johnston Atoll | 442635sqkm | A National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. | ||
| Howland and Baker Islands | 434921sqkm | Including and, both territories are National Wildlife Refuges in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. | ||
| 407241sqkm | A National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. | |||
| 404391sqkm | The only inhabited unorganized unincorporated territory of the United States. | |||
| Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef | 352300sqkm | Both territories are National Wildlife Refuges in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. | ||
| 316665sqkm | A National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. | |||
| 221504sqkm | An organized unincorporated territory of the United States. | |||
| 177685sqkm | An organized unincorporated Commonwealth of the United States. | |||
| 33744sqkm | An organized unincorporated territory of the United States. | |||
| N/A | N/A | A National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. | ||
| Total | 11,351,000 | 4,383,000 |
A wedge-shaped section of the Beaufort Sea is disputed between Canada and the United States, because the area reportedly contains substantial oil reserves.[3]
Since 2007, the Dominican Republic in Hispaniola considers itself an archipelagic state, encroaching the long-established median or equidistance line dividing the EEZ of the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and claiming portion of the EEZ claimed by the United States in relation to the archipelago of Puerto Rico, which is itself an unincorporated U.S. territory.[4] The United States does not accept the archipelagic status and maritime boundaries claimed by the Dominican Republic.[5] Victor Prescott, an authority in the field of maritime boundaries, argues that, as the coasts of both states are short coastlines with few offshore islands, an equidistance line is appropriate.[6]