Strait of Malacca
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The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, 900 kilometres long and from 65 to 250 km wide, between the Malay Peninsula to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest,
Malacca Strait
The Strait of Malacca as viewed from the city of Malacca, Malaysia. Besar Island ('Big Island') is visible in the distance.
A ship sailing on the Strait of Malacca, as seen from Bukit Melawati in Kuala Selangor.
Yearly haze from the smoke of raging bush fires, limiting visibility.
Piracy in the Strait of Malacca has long been a threat to ship owners and the mariners who ply the 900 km-long sea lane. In recent years, coordinated patrols by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sing
Strait of Malacca
…over 35% of oil transported by sea and 20% of gas flows through the strait. Because of the high volume of traffic, modern piracy and smuggling is a concern for the strait. The strait has historically been a contested area, with regional powers, such as the Srivijaya empire, conquering the region to control the spice trade…
Strait of Malacca
A US merchant seaman takes aim during training to repel pirates in the Strait of Malacca, 1984.
Suspected pirates assemble on the deck of a dhow in waters off western Malaysia, January 2006.