Consider the following pairs of international straits and the water bodies they connect: 1. Strait of Malacca: Connects the Andaman Sea and the South China Sea. 2. Strait of Gibraltar: Connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. 3. Bab-el-Mandeb: Connects the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Pairs one and two are correctly matched because the Strait of Malacca links the Indian Ocean via the Andaman Sea to the South China Sea, and the Strait of Gibraltar links the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. Pair three is incorrect because the Bab-el-Mandeb strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, not the Arabian Sea directly. These maritime choke points are vital for international trade and oil transit.