Which strait separates Europe from Africa?

The Strait of Gibraltar separates Europe from Africa. This narrow waterway lies between southern Spain and Gibraltar in Europe and Morocco and Ceuta in North Africa.

It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea, making it one of the world’s most strategically important maritime passages. At its narrowest point, the two continents are only about 14.2 kilometres apart. Ferries regularly cross between Spain and Morocco, although the passage remains a major international shipping route.

The name comes from Gibraltar, derived from the Arabic Jabal Tariq, or “Mountain of Tariq,” referring to the eighth-century commander Tariq ibn Ziyad. In classical tradition, the cliffs at the entrance were called the Pillars of Hercules.

The Bosporus and Dardanelles are common mix-ups, but they lie in Turkey and separate Europe from Asia. The Strait of Hormuz lies between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, far to the east.