Straits and Channels

           STRAITS AND CHANNELS 

A naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that lies between two land masses and connects 2 larger bodies of water 

Some straits are not navigable because they are too shallow, or because of an 

unnavigable reef or archipelago 

Location: between Tamilnadu and Jaffna District of the Northern province of Srilanka 

* It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Plak Bay in the southwest 

* Rivers- the Vaigai River of Tamilnadu 

* Palk Bay at its southern end has a chain of low Islands and reef shoals that are collectively called Adam's Bridge, historically known in Hindu Mythology as "Ram Setu". The Bridge of Rama 

* This chain extends between Pamban Islands ( also known as Rameswaram Islands) in Tamilnadu and Manner Island in Srilanka 

The Duncan Passage -

* 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.

The Ten Degree Channel -

* Separates the Andaman Island and Nicobar Islands from each other in the Bay of Bengal 

* Lies on the 10-degree line of latitude north of the equator hence the name.

The Nine Degree Channel -

* Separates the island of Minicoy from the main Lakshadweep archipelago 

* Lies in the Indian Ocean between the Laccadive Islands of Kalpeni and Suheli Par, and Maliku Atoll.

* Lies on the 9- degree line of latitude north of the equator.

The Eight Degree Channel 

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 South China Sea - shortest sea route between India and China 

*One of the busiest strait in the world 

The Sunda Strait -

Between the Indonesian Islands of Java and Sumatra connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean 

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 worlds most strategically important choke points.

* On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast the United Arab  Emirates and Oman.

* World biggest oil- choke point

* A third of the worlds liquefied natural gas and almost 25% of total global oil consumption passes through the strait, making it a highly important strategic location for International trade .

The Bab- el- Mandeb-

* The Bab- el- Mandeb, 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 Suez Canal of Egypt.

The Mazambique Strait 

It is an arm of the Indian Ocean located between the southeast African countries of Madagascar and Mazambique

The Bosporus Strait -

* Also known as the strait of Istanbul

* Located in northwestern Turkey, The city of Istanbul - International city 

* Connects Black Sea to Sea of Marmara 

* Froms part of continetal boundary between Europe and Asia, and divides Turkey by separating Antolia from Thrance

The Dardanelles -

*Also known as strait of Gallipoli or Hellespont

* Located in North Western Turkey: froms part of continetal boundary between Europe and Asia.

* Connects the sea of Marmara with the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.

*Bosporus Strait and Dardanelles Straits together known as Turkish straits and separates to Asian Turkey from European Turkey 

The Strait of Gibraltar 

* Connects Atlantic Ocean to Mediterranean Sea 

* Separates Iberian Peninsula in Europe from Morocco in Africa 

* On the Northern side of the strait are Spain and Gibraltar while on the southern side are Morocco and Ceuta 

* It's boundaries were known in ancient times as the pillars of Hercules.

The English Channel - 

* An arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from Northern France 

*  Tapers eastward to link to North Sea at the strait of Dover.

* One of the busiest shipping area in the world 

The Strait of Dover-

* Historically known as the Dover Narrows.

* Separates Great Britain from continental Europe 

* This strait is at the narrowest part of the English Channel, marking the boundary between the channel and North Sea

The North Channel-

* Straits between northeastern, Northern Ireland and southwestern Scotland.

* The channel connects the Irish Sea with the Atlantic Ocean 

The Davies Strait -

* A northern arm of the Atlantic Ocean lies north of the Labrador Sea and South of Baffin Bay 

* It lies between mid- western Greenland and Baffin Island in Canada 

* Link the Atlantic Ocean and Labrador Sea to Hudson Bay in Canada 

* Lies between Baffin Island and Northern Quebec, Canada 

The Bering Strait -

* Separates Russia and the US slightly south of the Arctic Circle at about 65° 40'  N latitude.

* It border the Chukchi Sea ( part of Arctic Ocean) to the north and the Bering sea ( part of Pacific Ocean) to the south.

The Diomede Islands lie midway in the Strait -

* This National and continetal boundary separates Diomede Islands in the Bering Strait with Big Diomede in Russia and Little Diomede in the US 

* The International Date Line runs equidistant between the straits Diomede Islands.

The Cook Strait -

* Connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the south Pacific Ocean on the southeast.

* Separates the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

* Runs next to the capital city, Wellington.

* Considering one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world.

Bass Strait -

* Connects - Pacific Ocean ( No other water body)

* It separates Tasmania from the Australian Mainland.

Torres Strait -

* Connects Arafura Sea to coral sea ( Pacific Ocean)

*  It's separates Australia from Papua New Guinea it devideds

Pacific Joins Atlantic -

Through Darke Passage and strait of Magellan.