Staatsgebiet

Staatsgebiet is a German legal term that describes the geographic area over which a state has sovereignty and jurisdiction. It typically includes the land territory, the internal waters, and the territorial sea. The land territory comprises the country’s surface, subsurface, and natural resources. Internal waters are waters on the landward side of the baselines, such as rivers, lakes, and bays, including waters within harbors. The territorial sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from the baselines, where the state exercises full sovereignty similar to its land territory, subject to the right of innocent passage for foreign vessels.

The airspace above the Staatsgebiet is part of the state's sovereignty, though international aviation rules govern flight operations and safety. The concept of Staatsgebiet is central in constitutional and international law for defining the jurisdiction and authority of the state within its borders.

Beyond the territorial sea lie other zones established by international law, such as the high seas and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The EEZ, extending up to 200 nautical miles from the baselines, grants the state rights to explore and exploit natural resources in the waters and on the seabed, while foreign states retain freedom of navigation and overflight under certain conditions. The continental shelf may extend beyond the territorial sea, with rights over the seabed and subsoil defined by international treaties and national law.

Delimitation of Staatsgebiet borders between neighboring states can be a matter of international treaties and disputes, requiring negotiation and, when needed, adjudication. The concept underscores the legal basis for a state’s authority, security, and regulatory powers within its defined territory.