List of the 20 Most Important Straits of the World
A strait is a naturally formed, narrow water body connecting two seas or two larger bodies of water. The Important straits of the world are generally used for international navigation through the territorial sea between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone are subject to the legal regime of transit passage.
Following are the list of the Major straits of the world which will be helpful for your general knowledge as well as for your upcoming competitive exams.
Important straits of the world UPSC
- Longest strait – Strait of Malacca (Connects the Andaman Sea with the South China Sea
- Narrowest Strait – Strait of Bosphorus connecting the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea.
- The Eight Degree channel divide Maldives with Minicoy.
- Pacific joins Atlantic through Drake Passage and Strait of Magellan.
Important straits of the India
1. The Palk Strait –
- Location – Between Tamil Nadu and the Jaffna District of Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
- It connects the Bay of Bengal in the North East with Palk Bay in the South East.
- Rivers – The Vaigai River of Tamil Nadu.
- Palk Bay at its southern end has a chain of low islands and reef shoals that are collectively called ‘Adam’s Brigdge’, historically known in Hindu mythology as ‘Ram Setu’.
- This chain extends between Pamban island (also known as Rameswaram Island) in Tamil Nadu and Mannar Island in Sri Lanka.
2. The Duncan Passage –
- Location – Strait in the Indian Ocean.
- It separates Rutland Island (Part of Great Andaman) to the North and Little Andaman to the South.
- West of Duncan Passage is the Bay of Bengal, east is the Andaman Sea.
3. The Ten Degree Channel –
- Separates the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands from each other in the Bay of Bengal.
- Lies on the 10-degree line of Latitude north of the equator, hence its name.
4. The Nine Degree Channel –
- Separates the island of Minicoy from the main Lakshadweep Archipelago.
- Lies in the Indian Ocean between the Laccsdie Islands of Kalpeni and Suheil Par, and Maliku Atoll.
- Lies on the 9-defree line of Latitude, north of the equator.
Major straits of the world
1. The Strait of Malacca –
- Between the Malaysia and the Indonesian Island of Sumatra.
- Main Shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
- Link between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.
- Shortest sea route between Indian and China.
- One of the busiest strait in the world.
2. The Sunda Strait –
- Between the Indonesian Islands of Java and Sumatra. Connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean.
3. The Strait of Hormuz –
- Between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
- It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points.
- On the north coast lies Iran and on the south coast the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
-
World’s biggest Oil-Chokepoint.
4. The Bab-el-Mandab –
- The Bab-el-Mandab, means ‘Gate of Grief’.
- A strait between Yemen on the Arabian, Peninsula, Djibouti and Eritrea, North of Somalia, in the Horn of Africa.
- Connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
- An important link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal of Egypt.
5. The Mozambique Channel –
- It is an arm of the Indian Ocean located between the Southeast African countries of Madagascar and Mozambique.
6. The Bosporus Strait –
- Also Known as the Strait of Istanbul
- Connects Black Sea to Sea of Marmara.
- Forms part of continental boundary between Europe and Asia and divides Turkey by operating Anatolia from Thrace.
7. The Dardanelles –
- Also known as ‘Strait of Gallipoli’ or Hellespont.
- Located in North Western Turkey, forms part of continental boundary between Europe and Asia.
- Connects the Sea of Marmara with Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.
- Bosporous strait and Dardanelles Strait together known as Turkish Straits and Separate Asian Turkey from Europe Turkey.
8. The Strait of Gibraltar –
- Connects Atlantic Ocean to Mediterranean Sea.
- Separtes lberian Peninsula in Europe from Morocco in Africa.
- Its boundaries were known in ancient times as the ‘Pillars of Hercules’.
9. The English Channel –
- An arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France.
- Tapers eastward to link to the North Sea at the Strait of Dover.
- One of the busiest shipping area in the world.
10. The Strait of Dover –
- Separates Great Britain from continental Europe.
- This strait is at the narrowest part of the English Channel.
11. The North Channel –
- Strait between north eastern Northern Ireland and south western Scotland.
- The channel connects the Irish Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.
12. The Davis Strait –
- It lies between mid-western Greenland and Baffin Island in Canada.
13. The Hudson Strait –
- Links the Atlantic Ocean and Labrador Sea to Hudson Bay in Canada.
- Lie between Baffin Island Northern Quebec, Canada.
14. The Bering Strait –
- Separates Russia and the United States. Slightly south of the Arctic Circle at about 65 Degree 40-inch N latitude.
- It borders the Chukchi Sea (Part of Artic Ocean) to the North and the Bering Sea (Part of the Pacific Ocean) to the South.
- It separates the Asia with America.
- The Diomede Islands lie midway in the Strait.
- The International Date Line runs equidistant between the Straits Diomede Islands.
15. The Cook Strait –
- Separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
- Connects the ‘Tasman Sea’ on the Northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the Southeast.
- Runs next to the capital city Wellington.
- Considered one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the water.
16. Bass Strait –
- Connects Pacific Ocean (No other water body).
- Tasmania from the Australian mainland.
