Low-tide elevation

Low-tide elevation is a naturally formed area of land which is above water and
surrounded by water at low tide but submerged at high tide. It may be a mudflat or reef.

Legal status

Low tide elevations may be used as basepoints for the calculation of maritime zones unless they lie at a distance exceeding the breadth of the territorial sea from the nearest mainland or island.
According to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "If an LTE is located within maritime zones of a littoral state, such as territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf, it automatically belongs to that state."