Which strait separates the Malay Peninsula from the Indonesian island of Sumatra?

The Strait of Malacca separates the Malay Peninsula from the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

It links the Andaman Sea, part of the eastern Indian Ocean, with the South China Sea. The strait is about 800 kilometres long and is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Vessels use it as the shortest sea route between the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific region.

The waterway has supported maritime trade for centuries. Ports such as Malacca became important centres because ships travelling between India, Arabia, China and Southeast Asia passed nearby. Today, Singapore and other regional ports depend heavily on traffic through the route.

The Strait of Malacca is different from the Sunda Strait, which lies between Sumatra and Java, and the Lombok Strait, farther east between Bali and Lombok. These Indonesian waterways provide alternative routes but are not the same strait.