twelve-mile limit

American  

[twelv-mahyl] / ˈtwɛlvˌmaɪl /

noun

1. the offshore boundary of a state, extending 12 miles (19 km) at sea.

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twelve-mile limit British  

noun

1. the offshore boundary 12 miles from the coast claimed by some states as marking the extent of their territorial jurisdiction

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Example Sentences

The Nimitz was in international waters, beyond the twelve-mile limit any nation can claim.

From The New Yorker

Pack a lunch, and I’ll see you out past the twelve-mile limit.

From Forbes

Later that afternoon two Libyan MiG-25s ventured out beyond the twelve-mile limit and then turned tail of their own accord.

From Time Magazine Archive

The U.S. claims only three miles of ocean as its territorial waters, while Gaddafi insists on a twelve-mile limit.

From Time Magazine Archive

Although the U.S. and most other nations�including the Soviet Union�do not honor any Libyan claim beyond the usual twelve-mile limit, the Eisenhower remained just outside the Gulf of Sidra.

From Time Magazine Archive