Updated Global Maritime Boundaries Database
The 11th Edition of the Global Maritime Boundaries Database, or "GMBD," provides a concise, GIS-based, research tool containing the current state of global maritime claims, boundaries and related information mined from Law of the Sea experts, maritime analysts, the U.S. government, the United Nations, published reference books and journals and the Internet. The GMBD can be used for automated and graphical analyses related to hydrographic surveys, offshore oil and gas exploration, fisheries, telecommunications, marine minerals and mining, defence, shipping, construction, pollution, marine scientific research, marine archaeology, recreation and ocean law, among other applications. GMBD users include agencies of the United States and other national governments; the United Nations; engineering, telecommunications and offshore surveying companies; natural resource exploration companies; law firms; fisheries research centres; and universities. The GMBD includes extensive details related to:
- Territorial seas; contiguous, development, fishing, military and economic zones; disputed areas; boundary status.
- Unilateral claims, multilateral agreements, potential claim median line solutions, disputed claims, jointly managed areas, overlapping claims, hypothetical claims.
- Detailed attribution for each line and polygon feature.
The database also includes analysts' comments, the U.S. Department of Defence Maritime Claims Reference Manual and The World Factbook from the Central Intelligence Agency. GMBD Subscribers receive two editions per year. Each edition is updated based on international contacts and newly published coordinate lists for boundary agreements, straight baselines and sea limits. Updates include changes to boundary lines, maritime areas, attribution and supporting document files.
