What constitutes "international waters"?
406626
No, International waters have to be a certain distance(in miles) away from the country's coastline
350140
If you are asking about state law, you have to specify what state or go to that state's website and look it up. If you are talking about coastal waters under US Coast Guard jurisdiction, go to their website.\n\nhttp://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/gmhome.htm
223821
If the new island is in international waters no single nation can legally lay claim to it. However, any nation can adjust the extent of their territorial waters to suit themselves. Of course this can lead to the nation having to duke it out with other countries over the ownership issue.
96036
Atlantic, Pacific, Artic, and the Indian Ocean
459186
This sounds like a nautical question indeed!\nHmmmmm...
365326
Fishing, seaweed, trade, access to other countries.
249633
Oceans: Indian, Arctic, Pacific, Atlantic, and few lakes and seas (Dead Sea)
1047345
The oceans don't belong to any one country.  Different countries make claims on the ocean closest to their shoreline, sometimes all the way out to 200 miles, but I don't think anyone has claimed anything further.  In the case of India and Sri Lanka, the channel between them would split basically in the middle, and they'd split the surrounding waters as well.  There are international treaties in place to determine how this is done.
346404
It depends on the context of the dispute, domestic or foreign. The US government is legally obligated to recognize authority in this order:\n1. US. Constitution\n2. International treaty and convention (international law)\n3. US Federal law. \n\nThe Constitution comes first in order to maintain the autonomous sovereignty of the country. International treaty must be recognized second in legitimizing external entities. Federal law comes third (subsuming state, local, and municipal law) in issues of domestic governance. \n\nThis order explains why the US cannot make laws that discriminate against foreign producers (trade barriers/tariffs) because international law has forbidden it and enforces the law through the World Trade Organization. However, this also explains why international law does not take precedence over U.S. Constitutional law. The U.S. would not recognize a law passed by the U.N. that infringed upon our rights to freedom of speech, religion, etc. \n\nThus, the highest authority would depend on the facet of legality from which the dispute arose.
660089
The website listed in the source has all the international laws and court cases about environmental protection of fresh water.\n\nIt seems that there aren't many global laws, but a lot of regional agreements exist, like in the European Union or between countries that share a supply of water like Israel/Jordan and the countries around the African great lakes. \n\nAlso, most countries recognise that deliberately cutting/sabotaging the fresh water supply of a country (e.g., by polluting a major river that then flows to another country that needs its water) is a valid casus belli.
215327
The seas, ocaena, rivers, and lakes of the world are all composed of similar material to different degrees. For example the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean all have different amounts of salt in them. When the Panama canal was built a division between the regions was seen. Not so much with eyes but with equipment. True, those who named regions of water may not have had any idea that they were slightly different but they are. On a ship it'll be pretty hard to tell which ocean you're in if you awoke from a concussion and just stared out at sea. Maritime borders are only used as a political tool. Every second some of teh ATlantic mixes with the Pacific and vice versa.
688509
It's hard to come up with a definite answer, as there are countries not recognized by others, or only some others, etc. Also, former territories, that some countries still lay a claim on, and so on.\n\nFor all intents and purposes, "about 192" is correct, but this number is open to debate.
577292
Freedom of the Seas...
310548
I quote (source below):\n\nUntil the year 2000, there were four recognized oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic. In the Spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization delimited a new ocean, the Southern Ocean (it surrounds Antarctica and extends to 60 degrees latitude).
479603
UNESCO  is an IGO\nAn IGO is a public or governmental organization created by treaty or agreement between states with the following features:\n\n1. An IGO has international legal status (privileges, immunities, rights and duties) which are based upon its founding charter or statute. As such, an IGO can enter into agreements with other IGOs or with states.\n\n2. An IGO usually has a legislative body which creates legal acts (decisions, resolutions, directives, etc.) which may bind the IGO and its member states under international law. Most of these legislative acts do not supersede national law (except in the EU). \n\n3. An IGO may have a dispute resolution mechanism or body which is empowered to resolve disputes among its member states. \n\n4. The IGO may have an executive body (secretariat) which facilitates the operations of the IGO.\n\nThe largest IGO is the United Nations. UNESCO, being an agency of the UN, is an IGO. In contrast, a non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization that is not part of a government and was not founded by states. NGOs are therefore typically independent of governments. Although the definition can technically include for-profit corporations, the term is generally restricted to social, cultural, legal, and environmental advocacy groups having goals that are primarily noncommercial. NGOs are usually non-profit organizations that gain at least a portion of their funding from private sources.
617598
OIG is too vague -- what jurisdiction?
1089461
East China Sea, South China Sea, Sea of Japan, Phillipine Sea, Java Sea, Greenland Sea, Sea of Galilee, and the Indian Ocean