The Fiji–France Maritime Delimitation Agreement is a 1983

treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pe ...

between

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

and Fiji which establishes the

maritime boundary A maritime boundary is a conceptual division of the Earth's water surface areas using physiographic or geopolitical criteria. As such, it usually bounds areas of exclusive national rights over mineral and biological resources,VLIZ Maritime Boun ...

between Fiji and the French special collectivity of New Caledonia and the boundary between Fiji and the French

overseas collectivity The French overseas collectivities (''collectivité d'outre-mer'' or ''COM'') are first-order administrative divisions of France, like the French regions, but have a semi-autonomous status. The COMs include some former French overseas colonies ...

Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands (; french: Wallis-et-Futuna or ', Fakauvea and Fakafutuna: '), is a French island collectivity in the South Pacific, situated between Tuvalu to the northwest, Fiji ...

. The treaty was signed in Suva on 19 January 1983. The text of the treaty is brief and states that the boundaries will be set by the principle of setting an equidistant line between the territories. The boundary with New Caledonia is to the southwest of Fiji and consists of one

maritime Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prin ...

straight-line segment defined by two specific points. For purposes of drawing the border, the treaty assumes that France has sovereignty over

Matthew and Hunter Islands Hunter Island and Matthew Island are two small and uninhabited high islands in the South Pacific, located east of New Caledonia and south-east of Vanuatu archipelago. Hunter Island and Matthew Island, apart, are claimed by Vanuatu as part o ...

, but since

Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...

also claims sovereignty over the islands, the treaty states that the treaty is "without prejudice to the sovereign rights of any neighbouring State". The boundary with Wallis and Futuna is to the northeast of Fiji and consists of four straight-line segments, defined by five individual coordinate points. The agreement came into force on 21 August 1984, after both states had ratified it. The Fiji – Wallis and Futuna boundary was adjusted slightly by a 1990 codicil to the treaty. The full name of the treaty is ''Agreement between the Government of the Republic of France and the Government of Fiji relating to the Delimitation of their Economic Zone''.

References

*Ewan W. Anderson (2003). ''International Boundaries: A Geopolitical Atlas'' (Routledge: New York, ) p. 474 *S. P. Jagota (1985). ''Maritime Boundary'' (Martinis Nijhoff: Dordrecht, ) p. 288.

External links

Full text of agreement
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fiji-France Maritime Delimitation Agreement 1983 in Fiji 1983 in Oceania Fiji–New Caledonia border Fiji–Wallis and Futuna border Treaties of Fiji Boundary treaties Treaties concluded in 1983 Treaties entered into force in 1984 Bilateral treaties of France Fiji–France relations