Consider the following statements regarding the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait: ...
The correct answer is option 'B' which is "2 only".
The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is a strategically significant waterway located in the western part of the Arabian Peninsula. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and lies between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa.
Statement 1: It connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
This statement is incorrect. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait does not connect the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The Persian Gulf is located in the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, while the Gulf of Oman is located in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Therefore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is not a link between these two bodies of water.
Statement 2: It acts as a link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
This statement is correct. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait serves as a crucial link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It connects the Red Sea, which is an extension of the Indian Ocean, to the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Arabian Sea and eventually the Indian Ocean. From the Gulf of Aden, ships can access the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. This allows for maritime trade and transportation between the two regions.
The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is essential for global trade as it is a major shipping route for oil tankers and cargo vessels. It is estimated that around 4.8 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily, making it a critical chokepoint for the transportation of energy resources. The strait's strategic location also makes it significant for military purposes, as it provides access to the Red Sea, which is an important waterway for naval forces.
In conclusion, the correct statement regarding the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is that it acts as a link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, making statement 2 correct and statement 1 incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer is option 'B' - 2 only.
Consider the following statements regarding the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait: ...
India needs to work on finding alternate trade routes in the sea, as heavy reliance on the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait could impact the country's trade with the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, economic think tank GTRI said recently.
About Bab-el-Mandeb Strait:
- It is a strait of great strategic and economic importance, connecting the Red Sea in the northwest to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean in the southeast.
- It also separates Arabia, in the northeast, from the African continent, in the southwest.
- It further acts as a link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
- The name of the strait, Bab el-Mandeb means “Gate of Tears” in Arabic, referring to the large number of shipwrecks that have occurred in this region.
- The strait is 30 kilometers (KM) wide and is divided into two channels by the Yemeni island of Perim, with the eastern channel being called Alexander’s Strait and is around 3 kilometers wide, while the western-lying Dact-el-Mayun Channel is 26 kilometers wide.
- The flow through this strait provides for the circulation between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, since no flow takes place through the Suez Canal.
Hence only statement 2 is correct.
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