Important Straits of The World Upsc Notes 32
Important Straits of The World Upsc Notes 32
The strait is a narrow channel that is navigable and located between two mainlands
interconnecting two waterbodies. The important straits of the world are mostly navigable. Some
straits are non-passable due to the shallow nature or presence of reefs.
• The straits also play an instrumental role in altering the weather patterns by forming a
passage for the ocean currents.
• The isthmus leads to the formation of the straits.
• Human activities lead to the formation of canals. These serve to be the passway for
transit and play an instrumental role in the conduction of trade and commerce.
1 PALK STRAIT Linking the Bay of Bengal with the Gulf of Mannar
2 STRAIT OF Linking the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea. The
GIBRALTAR Strait of Gibraltar also plays a role in the separation of the
Gibraltar and Spain located in the North from Morocco in the
South.
3 DUNCAN PASSAGE It divides Rutland to the North and Little Andaman to the
South.
4 NINE DEGREE Linking Laccadive islands of Kalapeni, Suheli Par & Maliku
CHANNEL Atoll.
5 TEN DEGREE Divides Andaman Islands from the Nicobar islands in the
CHANNEL Bay of Bengal.
6 STRAIT OF HORMUZ Located between UAE and Oman on the southwest and Iran
in the north-east. Links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of
Oman. It is an essential channel as it majorly governs the oil
trade from the Gulf countries.
7 STRAIT OF BAB-EL- Links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and divides Asia
MANDAB from Africa.
9 SUNDA STRAIT It links the Jva Sea to the Indian Ocean and divides the Java
island of Indonesia from its Sumatra island.
10 BERING STRAIT It divides Russia and Alaska and links the East Siberian Sea
in the Arctic Ocean with the Bering Sea in the Pacific
Ocean.
11 ORANTO STRAIT It links the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea and divides Italy
from Albania.
12 BOSPHORUS STRAIT The narrowest strait that is navigable linking the Black sea
with the sea of Marmara.
19 YUCATAN STRAIT It is located between Mexico and Cuba and links the Gulf of
Mexico with the Caribbean Sea.
20 FLORIDA STRAIT It is located between Florida State and the USA and Cuba.
21 HUDSON STRAIT It links Hudson Bay [Canada] with the Labrador Sea.
23 COOK STRAIT It is located between the North and South islands of New
Zealand and links the Tasman Sea with the South Pacific
ocean.
26 MAGELLAN STRAIT It divides the Mainland South America from Tierra Del
Fuego [an archipelago off the southern-most tip if the South
American Mainland]
28 NORTH CHANNEL It divides Ireland from Scotland and links the Irish Sea with
the Atlantic Ocean.
• Longest Straits: Strait of Malacca (800 km) links the Andaman Sea with the South
China Sea (Pacific Ocean).
• Narrowest Strait: Strait of Bosphorus linking the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea.
• Bering Strait: Divides Asia from America.
• Bass Strait: Divides Australia from Tasmania.
• Gibraltar Strait: Divides Africa from Europe.