Straits through which it passes. The most important straits for sailors. Bays and straits

Straits are narrow bodies of water that separate land areas and connect adjacent seas or oceans.

The largest straits in the world
Name	Length (km)	What connects
Mozambican		Indian Ocean waters
		Baffin Sea and Atlantic Ocean
Malaccan		Andaman and South China Seas
Hudson		Hudson Bay and Atlantic Ocean
Makassarsky		Sulawesi and Java seas
Tatar		Sea of ​​Okhotsk and Japan
Florida		Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean
		North Sea and Atlantic Ocean
Magellan		Atlantic and pacific oceans
		Atlantic and pacific oceans
Beringov		Chukchi and Bering seas
Gibraltar		Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

Mozambique strait located between the island of Madagascar and continental Africa. The Mozambique Channel is located in the west of the Indian Ocean and is considered one of the longest on the planet. The approximate length of the strait is 1,670 kilometers, and the width is up to 925 kilometers.

The Mozambique Channel is more than 3 kilometers deep in the north and south, and about 2.4 kilometers in the middle. The minimum channel depth of the strait is 117 meters.

The Mozambique Strait is characterized by a steady current with a speed of about 1.5 knots, which is directed from north to south. The height of the tides is up to 5 meters. In the northern part of the strait are the Comoros, along the coastline of which there are many small islands and reefs.

The coastline is very beautiful, with delicate sea sand under your feet. The coast here and there is indented by tides and bordered by gentle hills, from which gorgeous panoramas of the Mozambique Strait open up.

The nature of the Mozambique Strait is unique, only here you can find unique specimens of coelacanth fish, which, as a species, is twice as old as dinosaurs. Here you can find the largest stingray, which is called the manta ray. It is these unique fish species that attract a large number of divers here.

Davis Strait- located between Greenland and the Baffin Island Islands. The strait connects the Baffin Sea of ​​the Arctic Ocean with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the Davis Strait is 632 miles (1170 km), the width is 194.5-577 miles (360-1070 km), the depth of the navigable part is 104 - 3730 m. Drifting ice and icebergs are found in the waters of the Davis Strait.

Strait of malacca- separates the peninsula of Malacca and the island of Sumatra, belonging to Indonesia.

The northern and northeastern shores of the Strait of Malacca and the islands located near them belong to the Kingdom of Thailand. All other shores belong to the state of Malaysia, about the already mentioned island of Sumatra and the islands adjacent to it belong to Indonesia.

The length of the strait is very long, it is 1000 km, the width exceeds 40 km, and the depth in the passage is at least 25 m.

Navigation in the Strait of Malacca is hampered by the fact that there are shoals near the coast. Everything is complicated by the fact that shallows sometimes occur far from the coast, and reefs can hide in the shallows.

The Strait of Malacca region is volcanically active. Most of the islands in the strait are of volcanic origin. The largest of them are Phuket, Lankawi, Penang and others.

Hudson Strait- Located between Baffin Island and the Labrador Peninsula off the northeastern coast of Canada. Connects Hudson Bay to the Atlantic Ocean.

The length of the Hudson Strait is 432 miles (806 km), width 62 - 219 miles (115 - 407 km). The depth of the navigable part is 141 - 988 m. The surface current is in the South-East at a speed of 0.4 knots (0.7 km / h). The highest tide height reaches 7.7 m.

Makassar Strait- located between the islands of Kalimantan and Sulawesi. This strait connects the Sulawesi Sea with the Java Sea. The length of the Makassar Strait is 383 miles (710 km), the smallest width is 65 miles (120 km), the smallest depth of the navigable part is 930 m. The currents in the Makassar Strait are monsoon in nature.

Tatar strait, separates Asia and Sakhalin Island, and also connects the Sea of ​​Japan with the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. The narrowest and shallowest part of the strait, located at the confluence of the Amur River, is called the Mamio-Rinzo Strait or the Nevelskoy Strait.

The Tatar Strait has a length of 633 kilometers, the maximum width of the strait is 342 kilometers, and the minimum width is 7.3 km. The depth of the channel of the Tatar Strait in most cases is very significant already near the coast, the minimum depth in the channel of the strait is 7.2 meters, which is why the Tatar Strait is considered one of the shallowest straits.

The shores of the Tatar Strait are mostly mountainous in the south, while in the north they are flat. The average water temperature in the strait during the summer period hovers around 11 degrees Celsius. In the winter months, the Tatar Strait is pinned down by ice in the north, in the southern part of the strait is covered with drifting ice. There are no large islands in the strait, except for Moneron Island.

The shores of the Tatar Strait are decorated with emerald coniferous forests, in which spruce, fir and larch grow, with a small admixture of birch and alder.

The waters of the Tatar Strait are rich in fish; herring, flounder and halibut live here in large numbers.

Florida strait- located between the Florida Peninsula and the islands of Cuba and Bahamas, connects the waters of the Gulf of Mexico with the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the Florida Strait is 350 miles (648 km), width -43-97 miles (80-180 km), the depth of the navigable part is 150-2085 m, the surface current (the beginning of the Gulf Stream) is in the Northeast at a speed of 2.4-3 , 8 knots (4.4-7 km / h). Hurricanes are possible in the Florida Strait from April to October.

Strait of the English Channel- English Channel (English Channel), the strait between the northern coast of Western Europe and about. United Kingdom. Together with the Pas-de-Calais (Strait of Dover), it connects the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. It is about 520 km long, about 180 km wide in the west, and 32 km in the east. The depth in the fairway is 35 m, the maximum depth is 172 m. There are many shoals, especially in the eastern part of the strait. Westerly winds in the strait determine a stable eastern current at a speed of up to 3 km / h (in narrow areas). The tides are semi-daily, in some places they reach 12.2 m (Saint-Malo Bay). Fogs are frequent. Has an important transport value. One of the largest routes in terms of cargo turnover passes through the strait from the countries of the North and Baltic Seas to the countries of North and South America, as well as to Africa, Asia and Australia. Main ports: Portsmouth, Southampton, Plymouth (UK). Le Havre, Cherbourg (France). Fishing is well developed (flounder, mackerel, cod, halibut). There is a project (1973) of an underwater tunnel through the Pas-de-Calais.

Strait of Magellan- the strait between the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and the continent of South America. Both shores of the Strait of Magellan are located on the territory of the state of Chile. The length of the strait is 575 km, and the depth exceeds 20 m everywhere.

The shores in the northeastern part of the Strait of Magellan are very steep, winding, cliffs hang over the waters, glaciers are possible. The northeastern shores, on the other hand, are flatter. The waters in the northwest are deeper than in the northeast.

Navigation in the Strait of Magellan is not very common, due to the dangers hidden in its depths. Shoals and underwater rocks occur in the middle of the strait. Powerful westerly winds also blow in the strait. The speed of currents created by tides reaches 25 km / h.

The strait was first passed in 1520. Magellan is considered the discoverer, it was he who became the historical pioneer. Although there are versions according to which the strait was opened much earlier. Then Tierra del Fuego belonged to the Unknown Southern Land, and the Strait of Magellan was called the "Strait of All Saints."

Drake Passage the northern coast of which is the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, and the southern coast of the South Shetland Islands, belonging to Antarctica, unites the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

The width of the strait exceeds 820 km everywhere. This allowed the Drake Passage to receive the title of the widest passage in the world.

The Drake Passage is incredibly dangerous for mariners for several reasons. First, icebergs are common in the strait, especially in the south. Secondly, there are storms of unprecedented strength, often the wave height exceeds 15 m, and the squall wind rushes at a speed of 35 m / s. Third, there is a very strong current in the Drake Passage - the "Western Wind Current", which is circumpolar.

The southernmost point of South America with an incredibly cold climate is located in the Drake Passage. These are the islands of Diego Ramirez. But, since they are not so easy to get to, tourists usually visit Cape Horn.

The pioneer of the strait was the Englishman Francis Drake, in honor of this navigator, who conquered the rough waters in 1578, and the strait was named.

Bering Strait- is located between the most eastern point of Asia, called Cape Dezhnev, and the most western point of the continent of North America - Cape Prince of Wales, dividing the Russian Federation and the United States of America.

It is probably difficult to find a landscape in the Far North with more severe weather conditions than the Bering Strait. In summer, the temperature here almost never rises above zero degrees. Strong winds blow here, bringing drizzling rain and snow from the ocean, and ice floes move along the strait.

At its narrowest point, the Bering Strait is 86 kilometers wide, and the minimum fairway depth is 36 meters. The Bering Strait is a place of exchange of waters between the Arctic Ocean (Chukchi Sea) and the Pacific Ocean (Bering Sea). In the center of the Bering Strait are the Diomede Islands. It is here that the border of time zones and the line of change of dates passes.

An inhospitable tundra and permafrost lie on the lifeless shores of the Bering Strait. The shores of the Bering Strait are mostly high rocky, very indented, there are a large number of coves.

60 species of fish live in the cold, clear waters of the Bering Strait; the most common are flounder, halibut, pink salmon, cod, chum salmon and chinook salmon. Mussels, balanuses, octopuses, crabs and shrimps live here in large numbers. The Bering Strait is home to fur seals, seals, gray whales and sperm whales. On the rocky shores of the strait, birds live, uniting in bird colonies.

strait of Gibraltar- located between the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula (Europe) and northwestern Africa; connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea. The length of the Strait of Gibraltar is 32 miles (59 km), the width is 7.5 - 23.7 miles (14 - 44 km), the depth of the navigable part is 338 m. In the Strait of Gibraltar, the current is directed in opposite directions at different depths. The surface current, directed to the Mediterranean Sea, receives an average of 55 198 km of Atlantic water per year (average temperature 17 ° C, salinity above 36 ‰). In the deep, directed to the Atlantic Ocean, the current leaves 51886 km of Mediterranean water (average temperature 13.5 ° C, salinity 38 ‰). The 3,312 km difference is mainly due to evaporation from the surface of the Mediterranean Sea.
Along the shores of the Strait of Gibraltar, there are steep rock massifs, which in ancient times were called the Pillars of Hercules - the Rock of Gibraltar in the north and Musa in the south.
Due to its convenient geographical position, the Strait of Gibraltar is of great economic and strategic importance, it is under the control of the British fortress and the Gibraltar naval base. In the strait area there are the Spanish ports of Ceuta, La Linea, Algeciras, as well as the Moroccan Tangier.

The straits are water bridges connecting neighboring water bodies and, conversely, dividing individual land areas. Canals, created by human hands, can also formally be ranked as straits, but there the goal is always to connect reservoirs, supply water somewhere, but not divide the land (this is the responsibility of defensive ditches filled with water). The straits are of great importance for sea shipping, both purely peaceful and military. Thanks to them, ships can significantly shorten their routes, but only if these straits are suitable for navigation, and not too shallow, narrow or filled with dangerous reefs.

1. Small Belt (500 m)

The title of "the narrowest strait in the world" is quite suitable for the Little Belt, which separates the islands of Eryo and Funen located in the east from the Jutland peninsula and the Als island located in the west. The Baltic Sea is connected through it with the Kattegat Strait. The Little Belt stretches for 125 kilometers, varying in width from 500 meters to 28 kilometers, its channel has a maximum depth of 75 m, and the minimum is 12 m. In especially severe winters in places where there are no strong currents, it freezes.
A pair of road bridges are thrown across it: the old and the new, along which the international highway from Hamburg through Copenhagen to Stockholm is laid, as well as the railway with the same direction. The new bridge is winter heated to prevent icing. The Celtic word "belt" means "sea" or "water". Two more straits bear this name, like the Sound Strait connecting the Kattegat with the Baltic Sea. In the southern part of the Little Belt, there is a fairly deep fairway 7 km wide, but ships still rarely use it due to the presence of strong currents and difficult navigation along the winding strait. If naval vessels of third countries want to pass through this strait, it is necessary to notify the Danish government 8 days in advance.

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2. Matochkin Shar (600 m)

This strait is located between the northern and southern islands of Novaya Zemlya and connects the Kara and Barents Seas. It is a rather shallow strait (12 meters on average, maximum depth 120 m) with several anchorages, the best of which is located near Cape Barany. The shores of the strait are high, in some places steep. It is approximately 100 km long. Most of the year, Matochkin Shar is covered with ice, and the rest of the time navigation on it is possible. In the past, the fishing villages of Stolbovoy and Matochkin Shar were located on its banks, but they have not existed for a long time. The word “ball” in Finno-Ugric means “strait”, and the Pomors call these islands “uterus”. And the strait got its name from the Matochka River, which flows into it.

3. Bosphorus (700 m)

It forms an inseparable pair with the Dardanelles, and together with the Marmara Sea located between them, they divide Europe from Asia. The Turks call it Istanbul-Bogazy, which means the Istanbul Strait. This strait connects the Sea of ​​Marmara with the Black Sea and is the only exit from the latter to the Mediterranean Sea (through the Sea of ​​Marmara and the Dardanelles). This is a very busy waterway through which oil tankers, cargo and passenger ships constantly scurry.
In the distant past, on the site of the Bosphorus there was an ancient river valley. Now it is flooded with sea water. In the Bosphorus, there are two opposite currents: from the bottom there is a salty one towards the Black Sea, and from above the stream from more fresh water is directed to the Sea of ​​Marmara. The salt current continues along the depression at the bottom of the Black Sea in the form of a phenomenon called an underwater river. Communication between the European and Asian parts of Turkey is supported by bridges and the Marmaray railway tunnel, laid under the Bosphorus.
The Bosphorus is the most important strait for all countries that have ports on the Black Sea coast, since through it they can send their ships to the Mediterranean Sea and further to the Atlantic or Indian Oceans. In the 17th century, the Bosphorus was covered with an ice shell several times, since it was the "Little Ice Age".

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4. Dardanelles (1.3 km)

The Dardanelles Strait, also called Canakkale, is famous for the fact that it separates the Balkan Peninsula, which belongs to Europe, and the Asia Minor Peninsula, which is the western tip of Asia. It connects the Aegean and Marmara Seas. The ancient Greeks called him the Hellespont. It is not surprising that this strait is of great strategic importance, since it allows you to control all shipping from the Black Sea towards the Mediterranean Sea. The Dardanelles are 65 kilometers long, and its width varies from 1.3 kilometers to 6 kilometers.
The Dardanelles Strait, together with the Bosphorus and the small Sea of ​​Marmara, is a single chain of water space that connects the Mediterranean and Black Seas and at the same time is a natural border separating two continents - Europe and Asia, north of the Black Sea merging into a single continent Eurasia. The Turks call it Canakkale Bogazy - after the city located on its Asian coast.

5. Strait of Magellan (2.2 km)

One of the longest navigable straits in the world is the Strait of Magellan, which separates the southern lands of the continent of South America and the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. At the same time, it connects the two largest oceans - the Pacific and the Atlantic. Only the eastern end of the strait belongs to Argentina, and the rest of the shores are controlled by Chile.
The Strait of Magellan is very picturesque for its rocks and glaciers. For the first time, the famous Portuguese Fernand Magellan walked along it in 1520 during the first round the world trip in the history of mankind. It was Magellan who found the place where two oceans meet. It took him more than a month to pass the strait, but he did not lose a single ship in this dangerous place, and for a long time remained the only lucky one who succeeded. In a number of places, the Strait of Magellan has a small width, which is further aggravated by the constant storms and winds in these places, treacherous currents and sharp underwater rocks, which makes navigation in the Strait of Magellan an almost Russian roulette.
For a long time, people had to use the unfriendly Strait of Magellan, until a much more convenient alternative appeared - the Panama Canal. But in our time, quite a lot of ships go around South America from the south.

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6. Øresund or Sound (3.4 km)

The Sound or Øresund Strait separates the Danish island of Zeeland from the Scandinavian Peninsula (Sweden). It, like other Danish straits, connects the North and Baltic Seas. Its length is 70 kilometers, its width ranges from 3.4 to 24 kilometers, and the depth of the fairway is only 8 meters. On the banks of the Sound there are two large cities, Malmö and Copenhagen, which are connected by the Øresund bridge, which also includes a tunnel.
This strait appeared 8000 years ago after the retreat of the glacier - the Scandinavian plate freed from it began to tilt, sinking in the south and rising in the north. Then the water from the North Sea washed away a narrow isthmus near present-day Øresund, flooding low-lying areas and forming the Baltic Sea. During the winter period, from October to March, storms are most common here, but the most severe storms occur in December. In February, the sea is most full here, and its lowest level is observed in January or April.

7. Great Belt (11 km)

To the east of the Great Belt are the islands of Zealand and Lolland, and to the west of it are the islands of Funen and Langeland. Of the three Danish straits connecting the Baltic Sea with the Kattegat, the Great Belt is the largest. Its fairway has a depth of more than 20 meters, which made the strait the most important sea route to the Baltic. The Great Belt is passable even for ocean-going ships, although the latter collided several times near the bridge. The Great Belt became an international waterway after the adoption of the Copenhagen Convention in 1857. But its western part, located between the islands of Sprogo and Funen, is considered Danish territorial waters and is controlled by this state.

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8.Singapore Strait (12 km)

This strait, together with the Strait of Malacca, connects the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean) and the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean). Its northern border is the southern coast of the Malacca Peninsula and the island of Singapore, and the southern border is the Riau archipelago. The Strait of Singapore was an important sea route back in the 7th century, and now it has become an international one. It is home to Singapore, one of the 4 largest ports in the world. The main sea route for most ships heading from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean passes by the numerous islands of Southeast Asia, and the Singapore Strait has become one of the most important links on this route.
Historically, the Great Sea Route was of no less importance than, for example, the Great Silk Road from China to Europe. Nowadays, the Singapore Strait has an international status, which means that it is open for the unhindered passage of ships of all countries, the same applies to air routes over it. Due to the too high intensity of shipping, fishing here is possible only to a limited extent and in coastal waters, despite the fact that the local tropical waters are quite rich in marine resources.

9. Strait of Malacca (15 km)

The Strait of Malak separates the island of Sumatra from the Thai and Malay parts of the Malay Peninsula. It connects the South China Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean, with the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean. The port of Singapore is located at the southern end of the strait. The Strait of Malacca is not very deep, especially closer to Singapore. It was named so, possibly in honor of the Malacca Sultanate, who once ruled this region. There is another version - it could have been named after the most important port of Melaka in the 16th-17th centuries, which has now become the Malaysian city of Malacca. This is the only sea strait where there is active sedimentation of river silt, although this does not harm the intensive shipping that is present here. In recent decades, large reserves of oil have been found off the eastern coast of Sumatra, in the waters of the Strait of Malacca itself, and since the beginning of its development, the economic importance of the strait has increased even more.

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10. Strait of Shokalsky (19 km)

This strait is located in the Arctic Ocean, where it separates the Northern Land (Bolshevik Island) from the October Revolution Island. It connects the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. It was named after the cartographer and geographer Yuli Shokalsky. The waters in which this strait is located are within the competence of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The steep shores of the strait are covered with glaciers (Mushketov, Karpinsky, Universitetsky, Grotov, Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky), from which icebergs periodically break away. The strait is ice-bound for most of the year.

A strait is a water space dividing two land areas, which in turn connects adjacent bodies of water. As you know, the widest strait on Earth is the Drake Passage, which connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the south. However, each section of the strait may have completely different widths, so this rating has been drawn up taking into account the narrowest parts of the straits.

1. Drake Passage (800 km)

Located to the south of the tip of South America, the Drake Passage is bounded in the north by the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, numbering about 40 thousand large and small islands, and in the south by the South Shetland Islands, belonging to the mainland of Antarctica. This strait is the only artery (apart from the Panama Canal) that connects the two largest oceans on Earth - the Pacific and the Atlantic.
The Drake Passage has always been dangerous for sailors, who were convinced of this when they first passed it on sailing ships. There are several reasons for this. The first is terrible weather and violent storms, catching waves up to 20 meters high, while a hurricane wind blows at a speed of 40 m / s. In addition, there are many icebergs in the Drake Passage that have broken away from neighboring Antarctica. And there is also a very strong circumpolar current. The southernmost point of South America, the Diego Ramirez Islands, is also located here. However, rare tourists in these places often visit Cape Horn, which is much easier to get to. The strait is named in honor of the Englishman Francis Drake, who was the first of the Europeans to cross here in 1578.

2. Mozambique Channel (422 km)

This strait, located in the western Indian Ocean, separates the island of Madagascar from Africa. By the way, this is the longest strait on the planet (1760 km). It has the greatest depth in the south and north, but in the middle of the strait it is quite a lot - 2.4 km. Much earlier than Europeans, the strait was actively used by Arab merchants who traded with the inhabitants of Madagascar. Who was the first to sail here from the Europeans remains unclear. Vasco da Gama is considered one of the candidates for this role, but other historians lean towards Marco Polo, who could have sailed here two centuries earlier.

3. Davis Strait (338 km)

The Davis Strait separates the planet's largest island, Greenland, from Baffin's Land, which belongs to Canada (Nunavut province). Its width ranges from 338 kilometers at its narrowest point to 950 kilometers at its widest, and its maximum depth is 3660 meters.The British named this strait after their navigator John Davis, who sailed in these waters several times during the 1580s in order to explore both islands bordering the strait. He also discovered this strait in 1583, along with a piece of land adjacent to it. The Davis Strait connects the Baffin Sea to the marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean from the Labrador Sea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. And the Hudson Strait connects it to the Fox Basin and Hudson Bay.

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4. Danish Strait (290 km)

In another way, it is called the Strait of Greenland, because it separates the island of Greenland from the island of Iceland. At the same time, it connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Greenland Sea. The Strait of Greenland is quite shallow, even in the fairway its shallowest depth is only 227 meters. From south to north, closer to the shores of Iceland, there is a branch of the warm Irminger current, and closer to the Greenland shores, the East Greenland current, which carries ice all year round, rushes in the opposite direction. The Danish Strait is unique with the largest underwater "waterfall" known to science - a vertical convergent current flowing from a 600-meter depth to a 4-kilometer one.

5. Strait of Bass (240 km)

The Bass Strait separates the island of Tasmania from Australia and at the same time connects the Pacific and Indian oceans. The strait is quite shallow - the average depth is at the level of 50 meters. Such a shallow depth speaks of the "young" age of the Bass Strait, which is only about 10 thousand years old, and it appeared only due to the rise in the level of the world ocean. Before that, Tasmania was just a piece of the Australian mainland. The Englishman Matthew Flinders discovered this strait in 1798 and decided to name it after his ship's doctor George Bass. The opening of this strait was useful for merchant ships sailing from India or Europe to Sydney, since, passing through it, they saved 1,300 km of distance. A reminder of a very recent, in geological terms, era of land life in the strait are small islands scattered across it, which were once Australian hills and hillocks.

6. Korea Strait (180 km)

The Korea Strait separates the Korea Peninsula and the Japanese islands of Kyushu, Iki and the southwestern part of Honshu. It connects the Sea of ​​Japan and the East China Sea, which belong to the Pacific Ocean basin. In the old days, the strategic importance of this strait existed only for these two countries. But when the era of isolationism ended in Japan in the middle of the 19th century, the Strait of Korea began to interest both the United States, Russia and other countries. Now on this strait ferries constantly run between the Korean port of Pusan ​​and the island of Jeju and the Japanese Tsushima, Fukuoka and others. There is also communication between Busan and China via the strait. Recently, plans have been made to build an underwater tunnel or bridge connecting Korea with Japan.

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7. Long Strait (146 km)

Between Wrangel Island and Eurasia, there is the Long Strait, which simultaneously connects the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas. A conditional line for changing dates runs along its water area. The strait is named in honor of Thomas Long, an American whaler who became the discoverer of Wrangel Island. The strait located in the Arctic is almost always covered with ice, but nevertheless, the northern sea route passes through it. But navigation here is extremely difficult due to powerful hummocks, so it is carried out only in the short summer months. To ensure year-round navigation, many icebreakers would be required, which turned out to be unprofitable. Basically, ships go along the Long Strait, which provide the regions of the Far North with essential goods.

8. Taiwan Strait (130 km)

In the past, this strait, separating the island of Taiwan from the Asian continent, was called Formosa. It begins at the South China Sea and ends at the East China Sea. The strait has a large depth difference in the fairway - from 60 m to 1773 m. The mainland coastline of the strait is indented by bays, and there are many islands near it, but the coast of the island of Taiwan has a flat coastline. In the south of the strait is the Penghu archipelago. The government of mainland China has proposed the construction of a transport tunnel with a length of 127-207 kilometers under the strait - in any case, if the plans are implemented, it will turn out to be the longest underwater railway tunnel on the planet.

9. Makassar Strait (120 km)

This rather wide strait separates the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Kalimantan, and at the same time connects the Java Sea and the Sulawesi Sea. There is a southward current, which is intensified by the monsoon in winter. The port of Balikpapan operates in Kalimantan, and Ujungpandang is in operation in Sulawesi. The conditional Wallace Line runs along this strait, dividing the fauna of Asia from the Australian one.

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10. Hudson Strait (115 km)

This strait, named after Henry Hudson, the first who sailed through it in 1610, is located in the Arctic Ocean within the Canadian territory. In the north, it is bordered by Baffin's Land, and in the south by the Labrador Peninsula. Connects the Hudson Strait, the Labrador Sea, with the inland Fox and Hudson bays. In the southeast, it connects with Ungava Bay, famous for its powerful tides. Storms often happen here, and shipping is carried out only for 4 months.

What straits of the world (channels, passages) are the most significant for international maritime shipping?

Global Sea Routes and Strategic Sea Passages have bottlenecks - straits.

The strait space is limited, but these passages avoid detours. These sea routes, several kilometers wide, sometimes become obligatory points of passage - almost all of them occupy strategic places, but have physical limitations (shores, winds, sea currents, depths, reefs, ice and political boundaries).

Most of the maritime traffic flows along the coasts of the continents. International sea routes are forced to pass through certain places, channels and straits. These routes are usually located between major markets in Western Europe, North America and East Asia. The most active commercial container shipping takes place here.

The importance of these large markets in the exchange of semi-finished and finished goods. In addition, the main routes include flows of raw materials, namely minerals, grain, food, and most importantly oil.

The most important strategic sea passages (bottlenecks) are often located near politically unstable countries, increasing the risk of piracy. Or the cases when the delivery takes place in a war.

The performance of overseas canals and passages significantly impacts global trade trends.

The Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Hormuz account for four of the most important strategic sea passages in world freight traffic.

Their continued availability for global marine circulation is due to the fact that the global trading system is highly dependent on their use, especially in the northern hemisphere.

1. Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is an artificial waterway about 190 km long, passing through the Isthmus of Suez in northeastern Egypt. It connects the Mediterranean with the hand of the Red Sea.

2. Panama Canal

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the Isthmus of Panama, from Cristobal to Limon Bay, to the Caribbean Sea, to Balboa, in the Gulf of Panama. Its operational characteristics are 82 kilometers long, 12.5 meters (39.5 feet) deep, 32 meters (106 feet) wide.

3. Strait of Malacca

The Strait of Malacca is one of the most important strategic straits in the world. It supports most of the maritime trade between Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for 50,000 ships a year. About 30% of world trade and 80% of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. It measures 800 kilometers long, 50 to 320 kilometers wide (2.5 kilometers at its narrowest point) and a minimum depth of 23 meters (about 70 feet). It is the longest strait in the world used for international navigation - transit takes approximately 20 hours.

4. Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz forms a strategic link between the oil fields in the Persian Gulf, which is the sea dead end of the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. It is 48 to 80 km wide, but navigation is limited to two 3 km wide channels, each of which is used exclusively for inbound or outbound traffic. Circulation to / from the Persian Gulf is thus very limited: a significant number of tankers and container ships have difficulty navigating the narrow channels. In addition, the islands that control the strait are disputed between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

5. Bab el-Mandeb Strait

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait controls access to the Suez Canal. It is a strategic link between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. It is 48 to 80 km wide, but navigation is limited to two 3 km wide channels for inbound and outbound traffic. The significant amount of tanker movement makes navigation difficult through narrow channels. The closure of this strait will have serious consequences - it will force you to make a detour around the Cape of Good Hope. The strait requires additional tanker space. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a key link in the trade route from Europe to Asia.

6. Strait of Gibraltar

Strait of Gibraltar on the peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Gibraltar is a mandatory crossing point between the Iberian Peninsula and the African coast. The strait is about 64 km long and 13 to 39 km wide. Under British control since its conquest from Spain in 1704, the Strait of Gibraltar became a formal concession under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713). During World War II, Gibraltar blocked access to the Atlantic for Italian and German fleets in the Mediterranean. It is the main strategic fortress of the region.

7. Strait of Bosphorus

The passage of the Bosphorus is 30 km long and only 1 km wide at its narrowest point. The Bosphorus Strait connects the Black Sea with the Mediterranean. Its access was the subject of two conflicts, the War of Crimea (1854) and the Battle of the Dardanelles (Gallipoli, 1915). The passage was assigned to Turkey after the Montreux Convention in 1936, which recognized Turkish control over the Bosphorus, but provided free peacetime passage for any commercial vessel without inspection.

8. Strait of Magellan

This passage was discovered in 1520 by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The Strait of Magellan divides South America from the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. Its length is 530 km, and its width is from 4 to 24 km. Secret for more than a century, the strait secured the dominance of Portugal and Spain in the Asian spice and silk trade. With the construction of the Panama Canal in 1916, and then with the construction of the North American Transcontinental Bridge in the 1980s, this passage lost much of its strategic importance.

International straits- these are straits connecting seas and oceans, which are integral, integral parts of world waterways used for international shipping and air navigation by all states on the basis of the equality of all flags. Such straits (Pas-de-Calais, English Channel, Baltic, Black Sea, Gibraltar, Mapacca, Singapore, Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Korean, etc.), being natural and, as a rule, the only or shortest exits to the ocean , are of paramount importance for most states of the world as a world transport highway.

Unimpeded passage through international straits, blocked by the territorial sea, was conventionally enshrined in the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone (paragraph 4 of Article 16) and in a new capacity - "transit passage" - in Part III of the 1982 Convention.

Transit passage is the exercise, in accordance with the 1982 Convention, of freedom of navigation and flight solely for the purpose of continuous and rapid transit through the strait between one part of the high seas or exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or exclusive economic zone. The requirement of continuous and rapid transit does not exclude passage through the strait for the purpose of entering, leaving or returning from a state bordering the strait, subject to the conditions of entry into such a state (Article 38).

In such straits, all ships and aircraft enjoy the right of transit passage, which should not be obstructed. Transit passage does not apply to straits, the passage in which is regulated in whole or in part by long-standing and in force international conventions that relate specifically to such straits (Black Sea and Magellan Straits).

Exercising the right of transit passage, ships and aircraft, including military ones, regardless of their weapons and type of power plant, proceed without delay through or over the strait; refrain from any threat or use of force; refrain from any activity other than that which is inherent in their usual order of continuous and rapid transit, unless such activity is caused by force majeure or disaster.

Vessels in transit comply with generally accepted international rules, procedures and practices related to safety at sea, including international rules for the prevention of collisions at sea, the prevention, reduction and control of pollution from ships.

Aircraft in transit comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Flight Rules as they relate to civil aviation; State aircraft will normally comply with such safety measures and operate at all times with due regard to safety; constantly monitor the radio frequencies allocated by the internationally designated competent air traffic control authority or the corresponding international frequencies allocated for the transmission of distress signals.

During transit through the straits, foreign vessels, including marine research and hydrographic vessels, may not conduct any research or hydrographic surveys without the prior permission of the states bordering the straits.

States bordering straits should not obstruct or suspend transit passage and should give appropriate notice of any danger they know of to navigation in the strait or overflight; they have the right, with the agreement and approval of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to establish sea lanes and prescribe traffic separation schemes for navigation in the straits with their designation on maps and proper publication.

States bordering straits may enact laws and regulations relating to transit passage through straits in relation to all or any of the following matters: the safety of navigation and the regulation of vessel traffic (sea lanes and traffic separation schemes); prevention, reduction and control of pollution by enacting applicable international regulations relating to the discharge of oil, oily waste and other noxious substances in the strait; preventing fishing, including the harvesting of fishing gear (for fishing vessels); loading or unloading any goods or currency, embarking or disembarking people in violation of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations of states bordering the straits. All of these laws and regulations must be properly published.

In international straits between the island and the continent (if there is an equally convenient route to the sea from the island), a peaceful passage shall apply between the high seas and the territorial sea, which cannot be suspended.

Black Sea straits(Bosphorus, Sea of ​​Marmara, Dardanelles) is the only natural waterway from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and to the Atlantic Ocean, which is of great importance for most countries in the world. Passage to the Black Sea (and from the Black Sea) is regulated by the 1936 Convention on the Regime of the Black Sea Straits.

The Black Sea straits are open for free passage of merchant ships without any discrimination of flags, sanitary control, compulsory pilotage (for a fee), payment of certain dues (lighthouse, etc.) are carried out. If Turkey participates in the war, then the enemy ships are deprived of the right of passage.

A special order of passage has been established for warships. The Convention prohibits the passage into the Black Sea and the presence in it of aircraft carriers and submarines of non-Black Sea states (except for courtesy visits to ports of the straits), and also restricts the entry into the Black Sea of ​​warships of non-Black Sea countries of other classes by tonnage(in total, it should not exceed 45 thousand tons), by the number of units(no more than 9), by length of stay(no more than 21 days), according to the caliber of guns (no more than 203 mm). Notification of the Turkish government about the passage of such ships must be carried out 15 days in advance.

The Black Sea states have the right to navigate any warships through the straits, while battleships are carried out one by one, accompanied by no more than two destroyers, submarines one by one, during daylight hours, on the surface, subject to two significant restrictions: submarines can pass through the straits for repairs at shipyards located outside the Black Sea (provided that accurate data on this matter will be provided to Turkey), or for the purpose of returning to the Black Sea bases, if they are built or purchased outside this sea (if Turkey was notified in advance about bookmark or purchase). Notification of the Turkish government about the passage of warships of the Black Sea states is carried out 8 days in advance.

If Turkey does not participate in the war, warships of any belligerent states have no right of passage.

For the passage of non-military aircraft through the straits, the Turkish government indicates air routes with appropriate notification. For occasional flights, the Turkish government is given 3 days in advance, for regular flights - general notice of the dates of the flight.

It should be noted that as a result of qualitative changes in the means of warfare (the emergence of nuclear missiles, space assets, etc.), the 1936 Convention has almost completely lost its role as a protective barrier and currently does not ensure the security of the states of the Black Sea basin. Turkey is making attempts, bypassing the 1936 Convention, to restrict the passage of Russian tankers through the straits.

Baltic straits(Big and Small Belts, Sound) is the only natural waterway from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. With regard to the Baltic straits, there is only one Copenhagen treatise of 1857, which confirmed the freedom of navigation through the Baltic straits and which does not deal with the issues of naval navigation at all, canceling only the collection of duties on merchant ships and cargo when passing through the straits.

The issue of extending the transit passage regime to the Baltic straits is highly controversial. The position and practice of the Danish government regarding the passage of warships through the Danish part of the straits is aimed at limiting foreign naval navigation in the strait zone. Danish laws or decrees were passed in 1913, 1927, 1938, 1951 and 1976. (the latter was adopted already during the III UN Conference on the Law of the Sea). The restrictions imposed by the 1976 Decree cannot be considered legitimate. The concept of "peacetime" has been changed; warships include all ships that are not used exclusively for commercial purposes; a passage means an innocent passage; the number of warships that can simultaneously pass through the strait zone has been reduced by more than three times; completely eliminated the possibility of overflying aircraft, etc.

In peacetime, the Baltic straits are open to the passage of any ships, including warships of all classes, regardless of the type of propulsion system. There are no restrictions for the passage of warships through the Swedish part of the Baltic Straits; if the passage through the Danish part of the Great Belt and Sound lasts more than 48 hours, or more than three ships of one state pass at the same time, it is necessary to give the Danish government prior notification; for the passage of warships through the Little Belt, advance notice is given 8 days in advance. Submarines pass through the straits only on the surface.

Strait of Magellan connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, both coasts belong to Chile. The legal regime is established by treaties between Argentina and Chile in 1881 and 1941. The strait is open for free passage of non-military ships and warships of all flags, control over the passage of ships and compulsory pilotage have been introduced.

In the English Channel and Pas-de-Calais the northern part is recommended for the movement of ships from east to west, the southern part - from west to east.

International channels- these are artificial structures connecting seas and oceans, located on the routes of intensive international shipping and used by all states without discrimination in accordance with existing international agreements, generally recognized principles and norms of international law and national legislation of the states that own the canals.

The Suez and Panama canals are of global importance, and the Kiel and Corinth canals are of regional importance. These canals, being artificial waterways, constitute an integral part of the territory of the states that own the canals. The legal regulation of navigation through such channels is based on the following basic principles and norms:

respect for the sovereign rights of the state - the owner of the channel and non-interference in its internal affairs; non-use of force or threat of force when resolving disputes regarding the use of the channel; prohibition of hostilities in the canal zone (Suez and Panama);

the possibility of passage for warships and non-military vessels of all flags without discrimination; ensuring freedom of navigation and protection of the canal by forces and means of the state - the owner of the canal (for Panama and the Panama Canal - after 1999); the obligation of the states-users of the channel to comply with international rules and national laws concerning the provision of navigation and safety of navigation, and to pay the tolls established without discrimination; inadmissibility of using the channel to the detriment of the interests of peace and international security.

Suez canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, is the property of Egypt and is under its sovereignty, opened for navigation in 1869. By a decree of July 26, 1956, the Egyptian government nationalized the Suez Canal Company and canceled all concessions for the construction and operation of the canal, January 1, 1957 annulled the enslaving agreements imposed by England regarding the operating conditions of the canal.

The international legal regime of navigation on the canal is regulated by the Constantinople Convention on the provision of free navigation on the Suez Canal in 1888 and legislative acts of Egypt, the main provisions of which are as follows:

the channel in peacetime and wartime is always free and open for the passage of all warships and non-military ships without distinction of flags. User states are obliged not to violate the free use of the canal in peacetime and wartime and not to allow attempts to violate the inviolability of the canal, its material part, institutions and buildings;

a channel should never be blocked; military action is not allowed either in the canal and its entrance ports, or within 3 miles from these ports, even if Egypt becomes one of the belligerent parties; in wartime, in the canal and in its entrance ports, belligerents are prohibited from landing and receiving troops, shells and military supplies on warships.

To guarantee freedom of navigation and neutralize the canal, foreign states are strictly prohibited from building military bases in the canal zone and owning them, constructing fortifications and keeping warships there;

belligerent warships have the right to replenish food and supplies in the canal and its entry ports only in such quantity that will allow them to reach their nearest port. The passage of such ships takes place in an extremely short time and without stopping, if they are not caused by the needs of the channel service. The duration of the stay of warships of the belligerent parties in Port Said and in the Suez roadstead should not exceed 24 hours, except in cases of a forced stop. An interval of 24 hours should always be observed between the departure of warships of different belligerents from the same port.

The management and operation of the canal is carried out by the administration of the Suez Canal on the basis of the Egyptian Law of July 19, 1957 and special rules of navigation, mandatory for all users of the canal. The passage is carried out for a fee after receiving the tonnage certificate, non-military vessels are required to take a pilot and canal spotlights.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry shall be notified of the intended passage of foreign warships at least 10 days before the date of their arrival at one of the entry ports. Warships, as a rule, enter the channel first and follow at the head of the caravan; if the caravan has already started moving, they follow the end. Warships and non-military ships of the sides at war with Egypt have no right to claim free passage through the canal.

The channel was put out of action twice: in 1956 (the aggression of Britain, France and Israel against Egypt) and in 1967-1974. as a result of Israeli aggression. The most modern warships and large-capacity tankers can pass through the canal.

Panama Canal, opened for navigation in 1914, connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is located on the territory of Panama and is subject to its sovereignty. The international legal regime for navigation on the canal and its use are governed by the 1977 Panama Canal Treaty between Panama and the United States, the 1977 Panama Canal Treaty on the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal with its Protocol and the Panama Canal Navigation Rules issued by the US administration.

The channel is managed by a specially created committee of 9 people - currently 5 people, including the Chairman, from Panama and 4 people from the United States. Until 2000, the United States is primarily responsible for the defense and protection of the canal, American military personnel and civilian officials are obliged to refrain from political activity in Panama and any interference in its internal affairs, the United States is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the canal, gradually transferring all functions to the Panama government. Exactly at noon on December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal will become the property of Panama. Since 2000, only Panama will operate the canal and maintain military forces, defensive fortifications and structures in the canal zone.

Both in peacetime and in wartime, the canal is open to the innocent passage of ships of all nations on the basis of equality of flags without any discrimination, subject to the payment of tolls and fees for passage and compliance with the rules ensuring the safety of the canal and navigation. The order of passage of warships and non-military vessels, technical conditions of passage, including compulsory pilotage, and rules for ensuring the safety of the canal and navigation are detailed in the Rules of Navigation on the Panama Canal.

The canal as an international transit waterway is permanently neutralized, the canal and the Isthmus of Panama should not be subject to reprisals in any military conflict between other countries of the world. All states, respecting the neutrality of the channel, can join the Protocol on the permanent neutrality of the channel and strictly observe the established rules. (Russia by succession is considered to have acceded to the Protocol.)

Warships and auxiliary vessels of all states have the right to transit through the canal at all times, regardless of their internal regulations, weapons, power plant, place of construction, place of destination, without being subject to inspection, search or inspection as a condition for transit. However, such ships may be required to demonstrate that they comply with all applicable medical, sanitary and quarantine regulations.

Kiel Canal, opened for navigation in 1895, connects the Baltic and North Seas, is located on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany and is subject to its sovereignty. The canal is an international waterway of regional importance, the mode of navigation is determined by the national legislation of the Federal Republic of Germany.

In accordance with the Rules of Navigation, non-military vessels of all flags can pass through the canal at any time of the day, having paid transit fees and received a pass to the passage. The sequence of passage, the order of locking are determined by the administration of the canal, taking into account the time of arrival of ships at the roads of the canal. Vessels are obliged to strictly abide by all rules of navigation and ensuring the safety of the canal. For all ships, mandatory pilotage and the use of steering channels have been established, and for non-military vessels - an additional mandatory sanitary inspection before entering the channel and customs inspection while moving along the channel. Mandatory towing can also be introduced.

For foreign warships, a permitting procedure has been established. Having received permission to pass, warships can refuse the services of the steering channel; in the channel, warships enjoy full immunity from the jurisdiction of the FRG authorities, fulfilling the conditions of innocent passage through the territorial sea.