A strait is a narrow waterway that connects two seas or oceans between two landmasses. It is not only a maritime communication artery and a shipping hub, but also has always been a battleground for soldiers, and is known as the "throat" of maritime traffic. Straits are formed by long-term erosion of seawater through cracks in the isthmus, or by submerging low depressions in the land where the sea has sunk. Generally, the water is deep, the current is rapid and there are many eddies.
There are many famous straits in the world, but the following three are the busiest.
1. Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strait connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, an important oil producing area in the Middle East, and is also the only waterway from the Arabian Sea to the Persian Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a cultural, economic, and trade hub between Eastern and Western countries since ancient times, and the Portuguese Empire began to invade the region in the early 16th century, and later became an important target of contention between Britain, the Netherlands, France, and Russia. As one of the busiest waterways in the world, the Strait of Hormuz is also known as an important choke point in the world, with a very important economic and strategic position, and is the only sea passage for oil from the Gulf region to the rest of the world. A large amount of oil is transported from here every year, so the Strait of Hormuz is known as the "maritime lifeline", "the world's oil valve", and "oil strait" of the West.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the conduits for crude oil exports from Iran and other Gulf oil producers Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. About one-third of the world's seaborne crude oil trade depends on the strait.
Because oil is known as the blood of industry, the Persian Gulf in the Middle East has the largest oil reserves in the world, and the Strait of Hormuz is the only outlet from the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. So if the Strait of Hormuz is closed, the world's industry will be fatally affected.
2. Strait of Malacca
The Strait of Malacca is a long strait located between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, which is jointly administered by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Malacca is an important international trade port in Malaysia in modern times, and it is commonly referred to as the strait in the world. With a total length of about 1,080 kilometers, the widest part of the strait is 370 kilometers in the northwest and only 37 kilometers in the narrowest part of the Singapore Strait in the southeast.
The number of oil tankers entering the South China Sea through the Strait of Malacca is three times as long as it is through the Suez Canal and five times as many as it is through the Panama Canal. The Strait of Malacca is the most important energy transportation channel for China, Japan and South Korea, and is the "maritime lifeline". (Note: It is the Strait of Hormuz that is hailed as a maritime lifeline by Western countries)