Why in news
- Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz showed fluctuations amid diplomatic talks between Oman and Iran.
What is the Strait of Hormuz?
- Narrow maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
- Bordered by Iran to the north and Oman (Musandam peninsula) and UAE to the south.
Why it matters
- World's most critical oil transit chokepoint, handling approximately one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption.
- Vital energy security channel for crude imports to major Asian economies including India.
Key terms
Maritime Chokepoint
Narrow strategic passage along high-traffic maritime routes that can constrain global trade flows if blocked.
Prelims facts
- Strait of Hormuz separates Iran from Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
- It connects the Persian Gulf directly with the Gulf of Oman.
Source: Hindu Business Line Economy
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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2024 · Q10 · GS II · 10 marks
Critically analyse India's evolving diplomatic, economic and strategic relations with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) highlighting their increasing significance in regional and global geopolitics. -
2022 · Q20 · GS II · 15 marks
Clean energy is the order of the day.' Describe briefly India's changing policy towards climate change in various international fora in the context of geopolitics. -
2026 · Q17 · GS I · 15 marks
Analyze the major drivers of human-induced land-use changes in India and their geographical consequences. -
2026 · Q34 · General Studies · 2 marks
Which of the following geographical features or phenomena is/are associated with the Peninsular Block of India? 1. Submergence of parts of the western coast due to tectonic activity 2. Presence of residual mountain ranges such as the Veliconda hills and Mahendragiri hills 3. Deep, V-shaped river valleys formed by fast-flowing rivers Select the answer using the code given below: -
2025 · Q14 · GS I · 15 marks
Give a geographical explanation of the distribution of off-shore oil reserves of the world. How are they different from the on-shore occurrences of oil reserves?