This book addresses the often vexed question of national maritime claims and the delimitation of international maritime boundaries. The number of undelimited international maritime boundaries is much larger than the number of agreed lines. The two boundaries that define the marine domain of coastal states are examined. First the baselines along the coast may consist of low-water lines or straight lines or a combination of both. When straight lines are used they define the seaward limit of the state's internal waters. Second the outer limits of claims to territorial seas, contiguous zones and exclusive economic zones are measured from the baselines. All states will have to delimit at least one international boundary with a neighbouring state, whether adjacent or opposite. In confined seas no state can claim the full entitlement and must negotiate international boundaries with all neighbours. Many states bordering oceans can claim the full entitlement seawards, although they will need to delimit national boundaries with adjacent neighbours.

《世界海洋政治邊界》原作者是國際著名的海洋劃界專傢普雷斯科特和斯科菲爾德，由國傢海洋局國際閤作司司長張海文和海洋發展戰略研究所研究員吳繼陸共同傾力翻譯，海洋齣版社社長楊綏華審校。

普雷斯科特是著名的政治地理學傢、國際海洋劃界問題專傢，並且很關心中國海洋劃界實踐，曾到中國進行訪問。斯科菲爾德是具有測繪學背景的政治地理學傢，曾領導英國杜爾漢姆大學國際邊界研究小組，長期從事海洋劃界問題研究。兩位原作者還特地為本書的中文版寫瞭中文版序，介紹本書的寫作背景，指導中文版的閱讀。譯者更是為本書撰寫精彩的譯者序，詳細介紹瞭翻譯本書的動因，客觀評價瞭本書的價值。