Legal Definitions - narrow sea

A narrow sea refers to a body of water situated between two landmasses that are in close proximity. It describes a sea that runs between two coasts that are relatively near one another.

A narrow sea refers to a body of saltwater that lies between two landmasses or coasts that are relatively close to each other. These seas often serve as critical passages connecting larger oceans or seas.

Examples:

• The Bosphorus Strait: This waterway in Turkey connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and separates the European and Asian continents.

  Explanation: The Bosphorus is a classic example of a narrow sea because its shores, belonging to Europe on one side and Asia on the other, are in close proximity, creating a confined maritime passage.

• The Strait of Gibraltar: Located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, this strait connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa.

  Explanation: The Strait of Gibraltar fits the definition as it is a relatively confined body of water with distinct coasts (Europe and Africa) that are close enough to each other to create a bottleneck for maritime traffic between two vast oceans.

• The Strait of Malacca: This important shipping lane runs between the Malay Peninsula (part of Malaysia and Thailand) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It connects the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

  Explanation: As a vital maritime corridor bordered by the landmasses of Southeast Asia, the Strait of Malacca exemplifies a narrow sea due to the close proximity of its opposing coasts, which channel a significant volume of global shipping.