Proper

Abstract

This article discusses the nature of "terms" such as artificial island, installation, and structure and low-tide elevation. The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea has not provided any definition for the above-mentioned terms. This article first examines legal terms as "natural island", "rocks" and "low-tide elevation", Followed by the analysis of the definition of term "artificial island" and its types and utilities. The article then analyses the coherency of marine structures and installations with artificial islands. The results demonstrate that given the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (the 1982 Convention) and relevant legal criteria, the aforementioned terms are distinguished from each other. The article also concludes that in the case of converting low tide elevation to an island, such low tide elevation will not be considered a natural island or artificial island but a low tide elevation.