π Topic 02 of 6 Β· Chapter 12 Β· World Political Geography
Important Straits of the World
Hormuz, Malacca, Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Palk Strait β complete notes for UPSC & PSC exams.
π Major Straits of the World
| Strait | Connects | Between | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strait of Hormuz | Persian Gulf β Arabian Sea | Iran / Oman | World’s most important oil chokepoint; 20% of world’s oil passes through |
| Strait of Malacca | Indian Ocean β South China Sea | Malaysia / Indonesia / Singapore | Busiest shipping lane in world; 80,000 ships/year |
| Strait of Gibraltar | Atlantic Ocean β Mediterranean Sea | Spain / Morocco | “Gateway to Mediterranean”; 14 km wide at narrowest |
| Bab-el-Mandeb | Red Sea β Gulf of Aden | Yemen / Djibouti | Gateway to Suez Canal; strategic for oil trade |
| Palk Strait | Bay of Bengal β Gulf of Mannar | India / Sri Lanka | Separates India from Sri Lanka; shallow; Adam’s Bridge |
| Strait of Magellan | Atlantic β Pacific Ocean | Southern Chile | Connects Atlantic and Pacific at southern tip of South America |
| Bering Strait | Pacific β Arctic Ocean | Russia / Alaska (USA) | Separates Asia from North America; 85 km wide |
| Dover Strait | North Sea β English Channel | UK / France | Narrowest point of English Channel; 34 km wide |
| Lombok Strait | Java Sea β Indian Ocean | Indonesia | Alternative to Malacca Strait for large ships |
| Sunda Strait | Java Sea β Indian Ocean | Indonesia | Between Java and Sumatra; Krakatoa volcano nearby |
β Key Facts β Straits:
β’ Strait of Hormuz = most important oil chokepoint = 20% of world’s oil
β’ Strait of Malacca = busiest shipping lane = 25% of world trade
β’ Palk Strait = separates India from Sri Lanka = shallow
β’ Bab-el-Mandeb = gateway to Suez Canal = Yemen/Djibouti
β’ Bering Strait = separates Asia (Russia) from North America (Alaska)
β’ Strait of Hormuz = most important oil chokepoint = 20% of world’s oil
β’ Strait of Malacca = busiest shipping lane = 25% of world trade
β’ Palk Strait = separates India from Sri Lanka = shallow
β’ Bab-el-Mandeb = gateway to Suez Canal = Yemen/Djibouti
β’ Bering Strait = separates Asia (Russia) from North America (Alaska)