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Introduction

  • Strait: A strait is a thin channel of waterways i.e. narrow passage of water that connects two seas or two other large areas of water.
  • The following are the main characteristics of a strait:
    • Formed by natural processes
    • Narrower than the seas it connects
    • Navigable

Major Straits Of The World

  • Straits of the world are used by commercial shipping to travel from one sea or exclusive economic zone to another and they are of immense strategic and commercial importance. Straits serve as a channel through which ocean currents pass, modifying the climate of that area.

1. Malacca Strait

  • Joins: Andaman Sea & South China Sea
  • Location: Indonesia –Malaysia
    World channels and canals - UPSC

2. Palk Strait      

  • Join: Palk Bay & Bay of Bengal
  • Location: India-Sri Lanka
    World channels and canals - UPSC

3. Sunda Strait   

  • Join: Java Sea & Indian Ocean
  • Location: Indonesia
    World channels and canals - UPSC

4. Yucatan Strait

  • Join: Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
  • Location: Mexico-Cuba
    World channels and canals - UPSC

5. Mesina Strait  

  • Join: Mediterranean Sea
  • Location: Italy-Sicily
    World channels and canals - UPSC

6. Otranto Strait

  • Join: Adriatic Sea & Ionian Sea
  • Location: Italy-Albania
    World channels and canals - UPSC

7. Bab-el-Mandeb Strait        

  • Join: Red Sea & Gulf of Aden
  • Location: Yemen-Djibouti

World channels and canals - UPSC


8. Cook Strait     

  • Join: South Pacific Ocean
  • Location:  New Zealand (North & South Islands)

World channels and canals - UPSC

9. Mozambique Strait  

  • Join: Indian Ocean
  • Location: Mozambique -Madagascar
    World channels and canals - UPSC

10. North Channel

  • Join: Irish Sea & Atlantic Ocean
  • Location: Ireland-England
    World channels and canals - UPSC

11. Taurus Strait (Torres Strait)

  • Join: Arafura Sea & Gulf of Papua
  • Location: Papua New Guinea — Australia
    World channels and canals - UPSC

12. Bass Strait

  • Join: Tasman Sea & South Sea
  • Location: Australia
    World channels and canals - UPSC

13. Bering Strait

  • Join: Bering Sea & Chuksi Sea
  • Location: Alaska-Russia

14. Bonne-Fasio Strait

  • Join: Mediterranean Sea
  • Location: Corsika — Sardinia

15. Bosporous Strait   

  • Join: Black Sea and Marmara Sea
  • Location: Turkey

World channels and canals - UPSCWorld channels and canals - UPSC

16. Dardanelles Strait  

  • Join: Marmara Sea and Agean Sea
  • Location: Turkey

World channels and canals - UPSC

17. Davis Strait  

  • Join: Baffin Bay & Atlantic Ocean
  • Location: Greenland-Canada

World channels and canals - UPSC

18. Denmark Strait     

  • Join: North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean
  • Location: Greenland-Iceland

World channels and canals - UPSC

19. Dover strait  

  • Join: English Channel & North Sea
  • Location: England-France
  • Strait of Dover or Dover Strait is the narrowest part of the English Channel

World channels and canals - UPSC

20. Florida Strait

  • Join: Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean
  • Location: USA-Cuba

21. Hormuz Strait       

  • Join: Gulf of Persia & Gulf of Oman
  • Location: Oman-Iran

World channels and canals - UPSC

22. Hudson strait         

  • Join: Gulf of Hudson & Atlantic Ocean
  • Location: Canada

World channels and canals - UPSC

23. Gibraltar Strait      

  • Join: Mediterranean Sea & Atlantic Ocean
  • Location: Spain-Morocco
    • The Strait of Gibraltar is located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
    • The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa.
    • The two continents are separated by 14.3 kilometers of the ocean at the Strait’s narrowest point.
    • The Spanish side of the Strait is protected under El Estrecho Natural Park.
    • On the northern side of the Strait are Spain and Gibraltar(a British overseas territory in the Iberian Peninsula); while on the southern side are Morocco and Ceuta (a Spanish autonomous city in northern Africa).
    • Due to its location, the Strait is commonly used for illegal immigration from Africa to Europe.
      World channels and canals - UPSC
    • The Iberian Peninsula: The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme south-west of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar. At the nearest point, it is only 5 miles (8km) from the continent of Africa.

24. Magellan strait       

  • Join: Pacific and South Atlantic Ocean
  • Location: Chile
    World channels and canals - UPSC

25. Makkassar Strait   

  • Join: Java Sea & Celebeze Sea
  • Location: Indonesia

World channels and canals - UPSC

26. Tsugaru Strait     

  • Join: Japan Sea and Pacific Ocean
  • Location: Japan (Hokkaido-Honshu Island)
    World channels and canals - UPSC

27. Tatar Strait  

  • Join: Japan Sea & Okhotsk Sea
  • Location: Russia (East Russia-Sakhalin Islands)
    World channels and canals - UPSC

28. Foveaux Strait 

  • Join: South Pacific Ocean
  • Location: New Zealand (South Island- Stewart Island)
    World channels and canals - UPSC

29. Taiwan Strait (Formosa Strait)      

  • Join: South China Sea & East China Sea
  • Location: China-Taiwan
    World channels and canals - UPSC

Bohai Strait

  • The Bohai Sea is connected to the Yellow Sea via the Bohai Strait.
  • The Bohai Sea is a marginal sea which is the north-western extension of the Yellow Sea.
    World channels and canals - UPSC

30. Korea Strait

  • Join: East China Sea and Sea of Japan
  • Location: Japan and South Korea
    World channels and canals - UPSC

31. Jamaica Channel

  • Join: The Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  • Location: Jamaica and Hispaniola
    World channels and canals - UPSC

32. Ten Degree Channel

  • Join: The Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal
  • Location: Car Nicobar Islands and Little Andaman
    World channels and canals - UPSC

33. English Channel

  • The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France and links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busiest shipping area in the world.
    World channels and canals - UPSC

34. Kerch Strait

  • The Kerch Strait is a strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. 
  • It separates the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea from the Taman Peninsula of Russia’s Krasnodar Krai.
    World channels and canals - UPSC

35. Straits of Lombok

  • Join: Java Sea & Indian Ocean
  • Location: Indonesia (Bali and Lombok)

World channels and canals - UPSC

36. Bali strait

  • Join: Bali Sea & Indian Ocean
  • Location: Indonesia (Bali and Java)
    World channels and canals - UPSC

Isthmus: A narrow strip of land with sea on either side, forming a link between two larger areas of land. The Isthmus of Panama is a narrow strip of land at the southernmost end of Central America. It lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea while linking North and South America.
World channels and canals - UPSC

10 Important strategic Straits and Channels

  • Strait of Gibraltar
  • Bab-El Mendeb Strait
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • Strait of Malacca
  • Bosporus Strait
  • Bering Strait
  • Strait of Magellan
  • Strait of Messina
  • Suez Canal
  • Panama Canal
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FAQs on World channels and canals - UPSC

1. What is the significance of world channels and canals in UPSC?
Ans. World channels and canals are significant topics in the UPSC exam as they are important for understanding global trade routes, international relations, and geopolitical dynamics. Questions related to the strategic importance of world channels and canals, their impact on global economy, and their historical significance may be asked in the exam.
2. Which are some of the major world channels and canals mentioned in the article?
Ans. The article mentions several major world channels and canals such as the Panama Canal, Suez Canal, Kiel Canal, and the Strait of Hormuz. These channels and canals play a crucial role in facilitating international maritime trade and connecting different regions of the world.
3. How does the Panama Canal contribute to global trade?
Ans. The Panama Canal is a key trade route that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, thereby allowing ships to avoid the longer journey around the southern tip of South America. It significantly reduces travel time and costs for cargo ships, making it an important artery for global trade.
4. What is the geopolitical significance of the Strait of Hormuz?
Ans. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It is a crucial transit point for international oil shipments, with a significant portion of the world's oil passing through it. The strait's geopolitical significance stems from its location, as it is near major oil-producing countries and is a potential chokepoint that could disrupt global energy supplies.
5. How does the Suez Canal impact maritime trade between Europe and Asia?
Ans. The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, allowing ships to travel between Europe and Asia without having to circumnavigate Africa. It is a vital trade route, particularly for shipping between Europe and Asia, as it significantly shortens travel distances and time for vessels. The Suez Canal plays a crucial role in facilitating global trade and has a major impact on maritime transportation.
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