territorial principle

The territorial principle in international law asserts that a state's sovereignty is confined to a defined territory, which is subject to its exclusive jurisdiction and protected from violation by other states. This principle means that states have the primary authority to deal with matters, particularly criminal issues, arising within their borders. While states possess rights and obligations automatically, other entities like international organizations and individuals derive their rights from specific agreements.12

A state's territory can be acquired through cession from another state, by occupying land not under any other state's control (terra nullius), or through a long period of uncontested sovereignty (prescription). Importantly, international law, as codified in the UN Charter, prohibits acquiring territory solely through the use of force. The doctrine of uti possidetis also presumes that new states formed from existing countries will retain the boundaries of prior internal administrative divisions, promoting stability.1