has been ratified by 168 parties, which includes 164 UN member states, 1 UN Observer state (Palestine) and two associated countries (the Cook Islands and Niue) plus the European Union. Role The significance of UNCLOS stems from the fact that it systemizes and codifies the standards and principles of international maritime law, which are based on centuries of maritime experience and are expressed to a great extent in the United Nations Charter and current international maritime law norms, such as the Geneva Conventions of 1958. A large portion of these requirements were further strengthened and expanded. See also List of territories governed by the United Nations Further reading Enyew, Endalew Lijalem (2022). "Sailing with TWAIL: A Historical Inquiry into Third World Perspectives on the Law of the Sea". 21(3) Chinese Journal of International Law. Sara McLaughlin Mitchell and Andrew P. Owsiak (2021). "Judicialization of the Sea: Bargaining in the Shadow of UNCLOS." American Journal of International Law. References External links Text of the treaty (pdf) List of countries that have ratified Law of the Sea Conventions International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea Permanent Court of Arbitration – Past and Pending Cases Decisions of the World Court Relevant to the UNCLOS (2010) and Contents & Indexes United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf UNEP Shelf Programme, UN organisation set up to assist States in delineating their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles (370 km) UNCLOS Italian Database EEZ/CS Boundaries Canadian Database Digital Map of the World's Exclusive Economic Zones SOPAC Maritime Boundaries Database Introductory note by Tullio Treves, procedural history note and audiovisual material on the 1958 Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea in the Historic Archives of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law Introductory note by Tullio Treves, procedural history note and audiovisual material on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in the Historic Archives of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law 1994 in the environment Convention on the Law of the Sea United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Treaties of Albania Treaties of Algeria Treaties of the People's Republic of Angola Treaties of