Cuba extends continental shelf sovereignty in Gulf of Mexico

Cuba has expanded its national sovereignty over approximately 1,700 square kilometers of submerged territory in the Gulf of Mexico. This follows recognition by the United Nations of the natural prolongation of the country's continental shelf beyond the 200-nautical-mile limit in an area known as the Eastern Polygon.

The scientific research supporting this claim was awarded the 2025 National Prize by the Academy of Sciences of Cuba. The multidisciplinary study integrated geophysical, geological, hydrographic, geodetic, and geopolitical data to demonstrate the extension under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Specialists from the Petroleum Research Center (CEINPET), the Havana Technological University, and other national institutions utilized previous seismic data to validate the findings. The extension, which is geographically adjacent to areas involving Mexico and the United States, opens new possibilities for the exploration and exploitation of natural resources within the marine soil and subsoil.