Which strait separates Indonesia’s islands of Java and Sumatra?

The Sunda Strait is the strait that separates Indonesia’s islands of Java and Sumatra.

It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean and lies between the western end of Java and the southern end of Sumatra. The islands of Krakatoa and Anak Krakatau are located in this volcanic region within the strait.

Krakatoa’s catastrophic eruption in 1883 generated enormous explosions, ash clouds, and tsunamis. The event destroyed much of the volcanic island and was heard across vast distances. Anak Krakatau later emerged from the same volcanic system.

The Sunda Strait is an alternative route to the Strait of Malacca, but its shallow waters and volcanic hazards can limit some shipping. The two straits are both Indonesian waterways, yet the Malacca Strait separates Sumatra from the Malay Peninsula, not Java.