Question

The "Contiguous Zone" allows a coastal state to exercise the control necessary to:

• A. Claim absolute sovereignty over the airspace.
• B. Prevent infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws.
• C. Extract mineral resources from the deep ocean floor.
• D. Prohibit innocent passage of foreign warships.

Hint:

This zone acts as a buffer, allowing the state to monitor and intercept vessels before they enter the territorial sea where the state's sovereignty is absolute.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand the question.
What control does the Contiguous Zone allow a coastal state to exercise?

Step 2: Recall the zone.
The Contiguous Zone extends up to 24 nautical miles from the baseline, just beyond the territorial sea.

Step 3: Note the limited power.
Here the state does not have full sovereignty. It can only act to prevent and punish breaches of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws.

Step 4: Eliminate the others.
It cannot claim full airspace sovereignty here, cannot mine the deep ocean floor in this zone, and cannot stop the innocent passage of foreign ships.

Step 5: Conclude.
The state can prevent infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws.

Answer: Prevent infringement of customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws.