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Strait of Malacca

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Aerial view of ships sailing through the Strait of Malacca, a busy waterway between Singapore and Malaysia.

The Strait of Malacca

The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It connects the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea, helping ships move between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Because it links two big oceans, the Strait of Malacca is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Many ships pass through each year, carrying important goods like oil, coal, palm oil, and Indonesian coffee. This makes the strait very important for trade all around the world.

Long ago, powerful states like the Srivijaya empire, the Malacca Sultanate, and the Johor Sultanate wanted to control this important area. The name "Malacca" comes from a special tree where a prince named Parameswara rested when he chose this place to start his new kingdom.

Today, the Strait of Malacca is still very busy. Ships from many countries, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, use this route. It is important to keep the strait safe so that trade can continue smoothly.

Images

A beautiful view of the Strait of Malacca from the city of Melaka, Malaysia, with Pulau Besar island visible in the distance.
A ship sailing on the calm waters of the Strait of Malacca, viewed from Bukit Melawati in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia.
A map showing the location and boundaries of the Strait of Malacca, as defined by the International Hydrographic Organization.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Strait of Malacca, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.