Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Strait of Malacca:
1.It is the main shipping channel connecting the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, serving as a critical energy route for East Asian economies.
2.The strait is bounded by Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.
3.Its narrowest point lies near the Phillip Channel.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer: D
Notes:
Explanations:
- Statement 1 is correct: The Strait of Malacca is the primary, shortest sea route between the Middle East and East Asia, linking the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) with the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean). It is highly significant for the energy imports of China, Japan, and South Korea.
- Statement 2 is correct: Geographically, the strait runs between the western coast of the Malay Peninsula and the eastern coast of Sumatra. The countries that directly bound the strait and control its waters are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
- Statement 3 is correct: The strait is approximately 890 kilometers in length. Its width, however, varies, becoming its narrowest at the Phillip Channel near Singapore, measuring only about 2.8 kilometers wide.
