Malacca, Strait of, c.500 mi (800 km) long and from c.30 to 200 mi (50-320 km) wide, between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. Linking the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea, it is one of the world's most important sea passages. Chief ports include Belawan in Indonesia and Melaka and Penang in Malaysia; Singapore is at the southern end of the strait. The Strait of Malacca has been controlled by the Arabs, the Dutch, the Portuguese, and the British. In the mid-19th cent. it was a haven for pirates who menaced Dutch and British traders. Piracy remained a problem in the strait into the early 2000s.

Malacca: see Melaka, Malaysia.

Channel connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. It lies between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. It is 500 mi (800 km) long and is funnel-shaped; only 40 mi (65 km) wide in the south, it broadens in the north to 155 mi (249 km). Numerous islets hinder passage at its southern entrance. The shortest sea route between India and China, it is one of the most heavily traveled shipping channels in the world.

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Channel connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. It lies between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. It is 500 mi (800 km) long and is funnel-shaped; only 40 mi (65 km) wide in the south, it broadens in the north to 155 mi (249 km). Numerous islets hinder passage at its southern entrance. The shortest sea route between India and China, it is one of the most heavily traveled shipping channels in the world.

Learn more about Malacca, Strait of with a free trial on Britannica.com.