Strait of Malacca | |
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Location | Andaman Sea-Strait of Singapore |
Coordinates | 4°N 100°E / 4°N 100°E |
Type | Strait |
Basin countries | |
Max. length | 930 km (580 mi) |
Min. width | 38 km (24 mi) |
Average depth | 25 metres (82 ft) (minimum)[1] |
Settlements |
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 800 kilometres (500 mi) long and from 65 to 250 km (40–155 mi) wide, between the Malay Peninsula to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean).[2] As the main shipping channel between the Indian and Pacific oceans, it is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.