Abstract: The Arctic Ocean covers an area of about 13 × 10⁶ km². It is important that researchers involved in scientific expeditions to the Arctic are aware of the delimitation of the continental shelf and the 200 nautical mile (M) exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The United States and the former Soviet Union have signed a treaty on the delimitation of the continental shelf and the EEZ. The treaty has been ratified by the American Congress, but not by the former Soviet Union, which has led to an ongoing dispute over maritime ownership rights between the two countries. Norway and Russia have also signed a delimitation treaty. Maritime boundaries between Canada and the United States remain unresolved, with an area of more than 7000 M² under dispute. Denmark and Canada have resolved disagreements about their borders, apart from the ownership of Hans Island. Agreements concerning the delimitations of the continental shelf between Norway and Denmark, and Norway and Iceland have been concluded. According to Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal states are allowed to extend their sovereign rights beyond the usual 200 M. Russia and Norway have made official submissions to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend their EEZs beyond 200 M. The CLCS has effectively accepted Norway’s proposed outer limits for the western Nansen Basin but Russia’s proposal remains controversial. As one of the contracting parties to the Svalbard Treaty, China has access rights to the Svalbard treaty area. Because the United States has not ratified the UNCLOS, China can undertake scientific expeditions in the continental shelf north of Alaska and in the Chukchi Borderlands beyond 200 M from the coast. Furthermore, scientific expeditions and research can be carried out in different areas through international cooperation.

Key words: Arctic Ocean, Continental Shelf, exclusive economic zone, delimitation