Strait

Naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water

For people with the surname, see Strait (surname).

"Straits" redirects here. For the band, see Dire Straits. For the TV series, see The Straits.

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Strait of Gibraltar Diagrammatic map of a strait Marine habitats

Coastal habitats

* Littoral zone
* Intertidal zone
* Estuaries
* Mangrove forests
* Seagrass meadows
* Kelp forests
* Coral reefs
* Continental shelf
* Neritic zone

Ocean surface

* Surface microlayer
* Epipelagic zone

Open ocean

* Pelagic zone
* Oceanic zone

Sea floor

* Seamounts
* Hydrothermal vents
* Cold seeps
* Demersal zone
* Benthic zone
* Marine sediment

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A strait is a water body connecting two seas or water basins. The surface water is, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and can flow through the strait in either direction, although the topography generally constricts the flow somewhat. In some straits, there is a dominant directional current. Most commonly, the strait is a narrow channel that lies between two land masses. Straits are loci for sediment accumulation, with sand-sized deposits usually occurring on the two strait exits, forming subaqueous fans or deltas. Some straits are not navigable because, for example, they are too narrow or too shallow, or due to the presence of a reef or archipelago.

## Terminology

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Palosaari Strait (Brändö sund) in Vaasa, Finland

The terms channel, pass, or passage can be synonymous and used interchangeably with strait, although each is sometimes differentiated with varying senses. In Scotland, firth or Kyle are also sometimes used as synonyms for strait.

Many straits are economically important. Straits can be important shipping routes and wars have been fought for control of them.

Numerous artificial channels, called canals, have been constructed to connect two oceans or seas over land, such as the Suez Canal. Although rivers and canals often provide passage between two large lakes, and these seem to suit the formal definition of strait, they are not usually referred to as such. Rivers and often canals, generally have a directional flow tied to changes in elevation, whereas straits often are free flowing in either direction or switch direction, maintaining the same elevation. The term strait is typically reserved for much larger, wider features of the marine environment. There are exceptions, with straits being called canals; Pearse Canal, for example.

## Comparisons

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Straits are the converse of isthmuses. That is, while a strait lies between two land masses and connects two large areas of ocean, an isthmus lies between two areas of ocean and connects two large land masses.

Some straits have the potential to generate significant tidal power using tidal stream turbines. Tides are more predictable than wave power or wind power. The Pentland Firth (a strait) may be capable of generating 10 GW.[1] Cook Strait in New Zealand may be capable of generating 5.6 GW[2] even though the total energy available in the flow is 15 GW.[3]

## Navigational (legal) regime

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Straits used for international navigation through the territorial sea between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone are subject to the legal regime of transit passage (Strait of Gibraltar, Strait of Dover, Strait of Hormuz). The regime of innocent passage applies in straits used for international navigation (1) that connect a part of high seas or an exclusive economic zone with the territorial sea of a coastal nation (Straits of Tiran, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait of Baltiysk) and (2) in straits formed by an island of a state bordering the strait and its mainland if there exists seaward of the island a route through the high seas or through an exclusive economic zone of similar convenience with respect to navigational and hydrographical characteristics (Strait of Messina, Pentland Firth). There may be no suspension of innocent passage through such straits.[4]

## See also

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* List of straits
* Strait passage
* Choke point

## References

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1. ^ "Marine Briefing" (December 2006) Scottish Renewables Forum. Glasgow.
2. ^ "The Energetics of Large Tidal Turbine Arrays, Ross Vennell, 2012, preprint submitted to Royal Society, 2011."
3. ^ "Estimating the power potential of tidal currents and the impact of power extraction on flow speeds. Ross Vennell, 2011" doi:10.1016/j.renene.2011.05.011
4. ^ Bugajski, Dariusz R. (2021). Navigational rights and freedoms in the international law and practice. Akademia Marynarki Wojennej. pp. 305–308\. ISBN 978-83-961549-1-0. OCLC 1267382284.

## Bibliography

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* Longhitano S., 2013. A facies-based depositional model for ancient and modern, tectonically–confined tidal straits. Terra Nova, 25,6, 446-452

## External links

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Media related to Straits at Wikimedia Commons

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Coastal geography

Landforms|

* Anchialine pool
* Archipelago
* Atoll
* Avulsion
* Ayre
* Barrier island
* Bay
* Bight
* Bodden
* Brackish marsh
* Cape
* Channel
* Cliff
* Coast
* Coastal plain
* Coastal waterfall
* Continental margin
* Continental shelf
* Coral reef
* Cove
* Dune
* cliff-top
* Estuary
* Firth
* Fjard
* Fjord
* Freshwater marsh
* Fundus
* Gat
* Geo
* Gulf
* Gut
* Hapua
* Headland
* Inlet
* Intertidal wetland
* Island
* Islet
* Isthmus
* Liman
* Lagoon
* Machair
* Mudflat
* Natural arch
* Peninsula
* Reef
* Ria
* Salt marsh
* Shoal
* Skerry
* Sound
* Spit
* Stack
* Strait
* Strand plain
* Submarine canyon
* Tidal island
* Tidal marsh
* Tide pool
* Tied island
* Tombolo
* Waituna
* Windwatt

Beaches|

* Beach cusps
* Beach evolution
* Beach ridge
* Beach wrack
* Beaches in estuaries and bays
* Beachrock
* Coastal morphodynamics
* Pocket beach
* Raised beach
* Recession
* Shell beach
* Shingle beach
* Storm beach
* Wash margin

River mouths|

* Debouch
* Mouth bar
* River delta
* mega
* regressive

Processes|

* Blowhole
* Cliffed coast
* Coastal biogeomorphology
* Coastal erosion
* Concordant coastline
* Current
* Cuspate foreland
* Discordant coastline
* Emergent coastline
* Feeder bluff
* Flat coast
* Graded shoreline
* Ingression coast
* Large-scale coastal behaviour
* Longshore drift
* Marine regression
* Marine transgression
* Raised shoreline
* Rip current
* Rocky shore
* Sea cave
* Sea foam
* Shoal
* peresyp
* Steep coast
* Submergent coastline
* Surf break
* Surf zone
* Surge channel
* Swash
* Undertow
* Volcanic arc
* Wave-cut platform
* Wave shoaling
* Wind fetch
* Wind wave

Management|

* Accretion
* Coastal management
* Integrated coastal zone management
* Submersion

Related|

* Bulkhead line
* Coastal engineering
* Grain size
* boulder
* clay
* cobble
* granule
* gravel
* pebble
* sand
* shingle
* silt
* Intertidal zone
* Littoral zone
* Physical oceanography
* Region of freshwater influence
* River plume

* Category

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