Which strait is the narrowest natural point between Africa and Europe?

The Strait of Gibraltar is the narrowest natural point between Africa and Europe, separating Morocco from Spain and Gibraltar.

At its narrowest, the strait is about 14.2 kilometres (7.7 nautical miles) wide. It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea, making it both a continental boundary and one of the world’s most strategically important waterways. Ferries regularly cross between Europe and Africa.

The name comes from Gibraltar’s Rock, whose Arabic-derived name refers to Tariq ibn Ziyad, the commander associated with the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711. Ancient writers called the entrance the Pillars of Hercules.

The strait is also a major oceanographic gateway. Atlantic water flows into the Mediterranean near the surface, while denser, saltier Mediterranean water exits at depth. During the Messinian Salinity Crisis, the connection was interrupted; around 5.33 million years ago, the Zanclean flood dramatically refilled the basin.