Low-tide elevation is a naturally formed area of land which is above water and surrounded by water at low tide but submerged at high tide. It may be a mudflat or reef.
Legal status Low tide elevations may be used as basepoints for the calculation of maritime zones unless they lie at a distance exceeding the breadth of the territorial sea [12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi)] from the nearest mainland or island. According to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "If an LTE (low-tide elevation) is located within maritime zones of a littoral state, such as territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf, it automatically belongs to that state."
References
Sources Llanos, Hugo Ignacio (2002-09-01). "Low-Tide Elevations: Reassessing Their Impact on Maritime Delimination". Pace International Law Review. 14 (2): 255. doi:10.58948/2331-3536.1197. ISSN 2331-3536.
See also Territorial waters Exclusive economic zone Continental shelf International waters United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea