Maritime geography

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Maritime geography

Maritime geography is often discussed in terms of four loosely-defined regions: Riverine, brown water, green water, and blue water.
riverine environment consists of all navigable rivers of interest.
brown water environment consists of the littoral

Littoral

In coastal environments and biomes, the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged....
areas, from the coast and estuarial

Estuary

An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
areas to perhaps a hundred miles from shore.

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Maritime geography is often discussed in terms of four loosely-defined regions: Riverine, brown water, green water, and blue water.

Regions

Riverine

The riverine environment consists of all navigable rivers of interest.

Brown water

The brown water environment consists of the littoral

Littoral

Estuary

An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
areas to perhaps a hundred miles from shore. It is the most important maritime arena, including all coastal traffic and territorial waters, in which are found the great majority of a nation’s maritime police

Water police

Water police, also called harbour patrols, port police, marine/maritime police, nautical patrols, bay constables or river police, are police officers, usually a department of a larger police organisation, who patrol in water craft....
, customs, environmental, and economic concerns.

A "brown-water navy

Brown-water navy

Brown-water navy is a term that originated in the United States Navy, referring to the small gunboats and patrol boats used in rivers. A broader meaning is any navy that has the capacity to carry out military operations in river or littoral environments....
" focuses on coastal operations and primarily takes a defensive role.

Green water

The green water environment extends from the outer edge of the brown-water zone past any continental shelves

Continental shelf

The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, and was part of the continent during the glacial periods, but is undersea during Ice age such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas and Bay....
, archipelago

Archipelago

An archipelago is a chain or cluster of islands that are formed tectonically. The word archipelago literally means "chief sea", from Italian language arcipelago , derived ultimately from Greek language arkhon and pelagos ....
s and island

Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
s; perhaps a thousand miles from shore.

A "green-water navy

Green-water navy

A green-water navy is a naval term that refers to a naval force based around a coastal or littoral capability. This is a relatively new terminology, as non blue-water navies used to be collectively referred to as brown-water navy....
" is capable of defense of its nation in depth and is a significant offensive force within its territory.

Blue water

The blue water environment extends from the outer edge of the green-water zone through the global deep ocean

Ocean

An ocean is a major body of Seawater, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a World Ocean that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas....
.

A "blue-water navy

Blue-water navy

The term blue-water navy is a colloquialism used to describe a Navy capable of operating across the Deep sea of open oceans. While what actually constitutes such a force remains undefined, there is a requirement for the ability to exercise sea control at wide ranges....
" can project its nation's power throughout the world. The Blue water policy was a long-standing political philosophy in Britain in the eighteenth century, which sought to advance British power through use of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
.