A strait is a narrow sea passage that joins two larger seas and separates two land areas. These questions jump into the news every time shipping is disrupted, as with the Strait of Hormuz in 2026. Learn what it joins and what it separates.
In this post (6 sections)
Around IndiaWorld straitsCanalsExam-ready one-linersRelated readingQuiz: test yourselfAround India
| Name | Separates / connects |
|---|---|
| Palk Strait | India (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka; joins Bay of Bengal and Palk Bay |
| Gulf of Mannar | Between India and Sri Lanka, south of Rameswaram |
| Ten Degree Channel | Andaman (Little Andaman) and Nicobar (Car Nicobar) |
| Nine Degree Channel | Kalpeni/Kavaratti side and Minicoy (Lakshadweep) |
| Eight Degree Channel | Minicoy and the Maldives |
| Duncan Passage | South Andaman and Little Andaman |
| Coco Channel | North Andaman and Myanmar’s Coco Islands |
| Gulf of Khambhat and Gulf of Kutch | Gujarat coast (tidal energy potential) |
World straits
| Strait | Connects | Separates |
|---|---|---|
| Hormuz | Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman | Iran and Oman (Musandam); about a fifth of world oil trade passes here (approx) |
| Bab-el-Mandeb | Red Sea and Gulf of Aden | Yemen and Djibouti/Eritrea |
| Malacca | Andaman Sea and South China Sea | Malaysia (peninsula) and Sumatra (Indonesia) |
| Sunda | Java Sea and Indian Ocean | Java and Sumatra |
| Lombok | Bali Sea and Indian Ocean | Bali and Lombok |
| Gibraltar | Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea | Spain and Morocco |
| Bosporus | Black Sea and Sea of Marmara | Europe and Asia (Istanbul) |
| Dardanelles | Sea of Marmara and Aegean Sea | European and Asian Turkey |
| Dover | English Channel and North Sea | UK and France |
| Bering | Arctic and Pacific Oceans | Russia and USA (Alaska) |
| Magellan | Atlantic and Pacific Oceans | Mainland South America and Tierra del Fuego |
| Taiwan Strait | East and South China Seas | China and Taiwan |
| Korea Strait | Sea of Japan and East China Sea | South Korea and Japan |
| Mozambique Channel | – | Mozambique and Madagascar |
| Drake Passage | Atlantic and Pacific (Southern Ocean) | South America and Antarctica |
Canals
| Canal | Connects | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Suez Canal (Egypt) | Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea | 1869 |
| Panama Canal (Panama) | Atlantic and Pacific Oceans | 1914 |
| Kiel Canal (Germany) | North Sea and Baltic Sea | 1895 |
Exam-ready one-liners
- The Ten Degree Channel separates Andaman from Nicobar.
- The Eight Degree Channel separates Minicoy from the Maldives.
- The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
- Bab-el-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
- The Suez Canal opened in 1869; the Panama Canal in 1914.
Related reading
Quiz: test yourself
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Compiled from standard atlases; trade shares are approx.
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