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CONVENTION ON THE HIGH SEAS
Objective
=========
To codify the rules of international law relating to the high
seas.
Summary of Environmentally-related provisions
=============================================
(a) States to draw up regulations to prevent pollution of the sea
by oil from ships and pipelines or resulting from the exploration and
exploitation of the sea-bed (art. 24);
(b) States to take measures to prevent pollution of the sea by
dumping of radioactive waste and to cooperate with international
agencies in taking such measures to prevent pollution of the seas or
airspace above them resulting from radioactive materials or other
harmful agents (art. 25).
Membership
==========
Open for accession to all States Members of the United Nations or
members of the specialized agencies and by any other State invited by
the General Assembly of the United Nations to become Party to the
Convention (art. 31). Instruments of accession to be deposited with
the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Date of adoption 29.4.1958
Place of adoption Geneva, Switzerland
Date of entry into force 30.9.1962
Languages Chinese, English, French,
Russian, Spanish
Depositary Secretary-General of the United Nations
Participant Signature Ratification Entry into
Asseccion (Ac) force
Succession (S)
----------- --------- -------------- ----------
Afghanistan 30.10.1958 28. 4.1959 30. 9.1962
Albania 7.12.1964 (Ac) 6. 1.1965
Argentina 29. 4.1958
Australia 30.10.1958 14. 5.1963 13. 6.1963
Austria 27.10.1958 10. 1.1974 9. 2.1974
Belarus 30.10.1958 27. 2.1961 30. 4.1962
Belgium 6. 1.1972 (Ac) 5. 2.1972
Bolivia 17.10.1958
Bulgaria 31.10.1958 31. 8.1962 30. 9.1962
Burkina Faso 4.10.1965 (Ac) 20. 3.1966
Canada 29. 4.1958
Central African
Republic 15.10.1962 (Ac) 14.11.1962
Colombia 29. 4.1958
Costa Rica 29. 4.1958 16. 2.1972 17. 3.1972
Cuba 29. 4.1958
Cyprus 23. 5.1988 (Ac) 23. 5.1988
Czechoslovakia 30.10.1958 31. 8.1961 30. 9.1962
Cambodia 18. 3.1960 (Ac) 30. 9.1962
Denmark 29. 4.1958 26. 9.1968 26.10.1968
Dominican Republic 29. 4.1958 11. 8.1964 10. 9.1964
Fiji* 25. 3.1971 (S) 10.10.1970
Finland 27.10.1958 16. 2.1965 18. 3.1965
France 30.10.1958
Germany 30.10.1958 26. 7.1973 25. 8.1973
Ghana 29. 4.1958
Guatemala 29. 4.1958 27.11.1961 30. 9.1962
Haiti 29. 4.1958 29. 3.1960 30. 9.1962
Holy See 30. 4.1958
Hungary 31.10.1958 6.12.1961 30. 9.1962
Iceland 29. 4.1958
Indonesia 8. 5.1958 10. 8.1961 30. 9.1962
Iran, Islamic
Republic of 28. 5.1958
Ireland 2.10.1958
Israel 29. 4.1958 6. 9.1961 30. 9.1962
Italy 17.12.1964 (Ac) 16. 1.1965
Jamaica 8.10.1965 (S) 30. 9.1962
Japan 10. 6.1968 (Ac) 10. 7.1968
Kenya 20. 6.1969 (Ac) 20. 7.1969
Lebanon 29. 5.1958
Lesotho 23.10.1973 (S) 23.10.1973
Liberia 27. 5.1958
Madagascar 31. 7.1967 (Ac) 30. 9.1962
Malawi 3.11.1965 (Ac) 3.12.1965
Malaysia 21.12.1960 (Ac) 30. 9.1962
Mauritius* 5.10.1970 (S) 12. 3.1968
Mexico 2. 8.1966 (Ac) 1. 9.1966
Mongolia 15.10.1976 (Ac) 14.11.1976
Nepal 29. 4.1958 28.12.1962 27. 1.1963
Netherlands (for all
the parts of the
Kingdom) 31.10.1958 18. 2.1966 20. 3.1966
New Zealand 29.10.1958
Nigeria 26. 6.1961 (S) 30. 9.1962
Pakistan 31.10.1958
Panama 2. 5.1958
Poland 31.10.1958 29. 6.1962 30. 9.1962
Portugal 28.10.1958 8. 1.1963 7. 2.1963
Romania 31.10.1958 12.12.1961 30. 9.1962
Russian Federation 30.10.1958 22.11.1960 30. 9.1962
Senegal 25. 4.1961 (Ac) 30. 9.1962
Sierra Leone 13. 3.1962 (S) 30. 9.1962
Slovenia 6. 7.1992 (S) 6. 7.1992
Solomon Islands* 3. 9.1981 (S) 3. 9.1981
South Africa 9. 4.1963 (Ac) 9. 5.1963
Spain 25. 2.1971 (Ac) 27. 3.1971
Sri Lanka 30.10.1958
Swaziland 16.10.1970 (Ac) 15.11.1970
Switzerland 24. 5.1958 18. 5.1966 17. 6.1966
Thailand 29. 4.1958 2. 7.1968 1. 8.1968
Tonga* 29. 6.1971 (S) 29. 6.1972
Trinidad and Tobago 11. 4.1966 (S) 30. 9.1962
Tunisia 30.10.1958
Uganda 14. 9.1964 (Ac) 14.10.1964
Ukraine 30.10.1958 12. 1.1961 30. 9.1962
United Kingdom of
Great Britain and
Northern Ireland 9. 9.1958 14. 3.1960 30. 9.1962
United States of
America 15. 9.1958 12. 4.1961 20. 3.1966
Uruguay 29. 4.1958
Venezuela 30.10.1958 15. 8.1961 20. 3.1966
Yugoslavia 29. 4.1958 28. 1.1966 20. 3.1966
* Date of deposit of formal notification of succession with the
Secretary-General.
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