Sources of international law

International law is a set of rules that countries agree to follow when they interact with each other. Sources of international law are the things that tell countries what those rules are. The main sources of international law are treaties, customs, and decisions made by international courts.

Treaties are written agreements between countries that set out rules that they will follow. They might include things like which countries are allowed to fish in an ocean, or how a country should handle refugees.

Customs are agreements between countries that are based on how they have traditionally done things. For example, if a country has always allowed ships from other countries to pass through its waters, other countries may assume that this is a rule that must be followed.

International courts are made up of certain experts and judges who make decisions about what international law should be. This is usually done after a dispute between countries.

All of these sources help to make sure that countries treat each other fairly and follow international rules.