What is Strait?
A Strait is a naturally formed navigable narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two large water bodies. It is a slim channel of water that lies between two landmasses. Below is the table that shows important straits of the world. As 90% of the trade takes place through sea routes, these straits provide navigable routes to various ships. For example, the Strait of Hormuz is very important as the world's one-third oil trade takes place through this strait. Straits are also used to generate tidal power using turbines, for instance, Cook's strait in New Zealand generates 5.6 GW of energy.
Difference between Strait & Isthmus:
- Many students get confused between a strait & an isthmus.
- A strait lies between two land masses connecting two larger water bodies, while an isthmus lies between two water bodies connecting two larger land masses.
List of Major Straits of the World
Sr. No. | Strait Name | Remarks |
1 | PALK STRAIT | It connects the Bay of Bengal with the Gulf of Mannar. |
2 | STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR | It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Spain in the north from Morocco in the south. |
3 | DUNCAN PASSAGE | It is a strait separating Rutland to the North and Little Andaman to the south. |
4 | NINE DEGREE CHANNEL | This Channel connects Laccadive Islands of Kalapeni, Suheli Par & Maliku Atoll. |
5 | TEN DEGREE CHANNEL | It separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. |
6 | STRAIT OF HORMUZ | It lies between UAE and Oman on the south-west and Iran on the north-east. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. It is strategically very important as it controls the oil trade from the Gulf countries. |
7 | STRAIT OF BAB-EL-MANDAB | It connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and separates Asia from Africa. |
8 | MALACCA STRAIT | It separates Peninsular Malaysia from Sumatra island of Indonesia. It connects the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. It provides a shorter route from the Andaman Sea to the South China Sea and therefore is the busiest waterway of the world. |
9 | SUNDA STRAIT | It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean and separates Java island of Indonesia from its Sumatra island. |
10 | BERING STRAIT | It separates Russia and Alaska and connects the East Siberian Sea in the Arctic Ocean with the Bering Sea in the Pacific Ocean. |
11 | ORANTO STRAIT | Connect the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. |
12 | BOSPHORUS STRAIT | Connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is the world’s narrowest navigable strait. |
13 | DARDANELLES STRAIT | It lies between the Asian Turkey and European Turkey and connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara. It is a vital link of transportation between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. |
14 | LA PAROUSES STRAIT | It lies between the Sakhalin island and Hokkaido island of Japan and connects the Sea of Okhotsk with the Sea of Japan. |
15 | STRAIT OF TARTARY/TARTAR | It separates Russian Island Sakhalin from Mainland Asia. It connects the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the Sea of Japan in the south. |
16 | TSUGARU STRAIT | It lies between Hokkaido and Honshu in northern Japan and connects the Sea of Japan to the Pacific Ocean. |
17 | TAIWAN STRAIT OR FORMOSA STRAIT | It lies between Taiwan (Republic of China) and Mailand China (People’s Republic of China). It connects South China Sea with the East China Sea. |
18 | MOZAMBIQUE STRAIT | It lies in the Indian Ocean between Mozambique from Madagascar. |
19 | YUCATAN STRAIT | It lies between Mexico and Cuba and connects the Gulf of Mexico with the Caribbean Sea. |
20 | FLORIDA STRAIT | It lies between the Florida state of the USA and Cuba. |
21 | HUDSON STRAIT | It connects the Hudson Bay (Canada) with the Labrador Sea. |
22 | DAVIS STRAIT | It connects the Baffin Bay with the Atlantic Ocean. |
23 | COOK STRAIT | It lies between the North and the South islands of New Zealand and connects the Tasman Sea with the South Pacific Ocean. |
24 | BASS STRAIT | It separates Tasmania from the Australian mainland. |
25 | TORRES STRAIT | It lies in the Pacific Ocean, between Cape York Peninsula of Australia and Papua New Guinea |
26 | MAGELLAN STRAIT | It separates Mainland South America from Tierra Del Fuego (an archipelago off the southern-most tip of the South American Mainland) |
27 | DOVER STRAIT | It lies in the narrowest part of the English Channel, connecting it with the North Sea. It separates Britain from Continental Europe. |
28 | NORTH CHANNEL | It separates Ireland from Scotland and connects the Irish Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. |
Important Facts about Straits & Canals:
- Longest Straits: Strait of Malacca (800 km) connects the Andaman Sea with the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).
- Narrowest Strait: Strait of Bosphorus connecting the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea.
- Bering Strait: separates Asia from America.
- Bass Strait: separates Australia from Tasmania.
- Gibraltar Strait: Separates Africa from Europe
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