Which of the following zones is located beyond the EEZ?

The area beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is classified as international waters, which is also referred to as high seas. This zone is not owned by any nation and is accessible to all countries for navigation and resource exploration, although it is governed by international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

International waters begin where the EEZ ends, which extends 200 nautical miles from a state’s baseline. Within this sphere, states retain certain rights, but beyond this, the waters are open for free use by all nations. Understanding this distinction is crucial for navigational purposes and international maritime activities.

In contrast, the other options refer to areas that either belong to national jurisdictions or transition zones that do not extend beyond the EEZ. Exclusive state waters are typically state-controlled waters that are usually within the territorial sea, the contiguous zone represents a buffer zone from which a state can exert limited control for customs and immigration enforcement extending 12 to 24 nautical miles from the baseline, and the foreign territorial sea pertains to the seas directly adjacent to a country's coastline within its sovereign territory. Thus, the identification of international waters as the area beyond the EEZ is central to maritime law.