Strait of Malacca
The funnel-shaped Strait of Malacca stretches 600 nautical miles between the west coast of peninsular Malaysia and the east coast of Sumatra. Named after the ancient city of Malacca (Melaka, in Malay), it is one of the busiest and most economically important straits in the world.
Geologically, the strait is part of the extensive shallow Sunda Shelf that extends seaward from mainland Southeast Asia to a depth of 200 meters. Although largely sheltered, its waters are influenced by the monsoons. Mangroves dominate the coast, especially on the Sumatran side. Coral reefs are limited.
Historically, the strait acted as a conduit for Europeans coming east and the region's commodities moving west. Today it is an important sea route for local and international trade and shipping traffic, and for the tankers that supply three-quarters of Japan's oil imports—making it highly vulnerable to pollution from oil spills and other sources. The strait is vital to the surrounding countries, which share common interests in its use and management, and in issues concerning legal boundaries, navigation rights, traffic separation, pollution, and piracy.
The Strait of Malacca's economic significance is enhanced by two growth triangles strategically located to boost future economic cooperation and development: the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand growth triangle in the north and the Singapore-Johor-Riau growth triangle in the south.
Further Reading
Chua Thia-Eng, S. Adrian Ross, and Huming Yu, eds. (1997) Malacca Straits Environmental Profile. Quezon City, Philippines: MPP-EAS Technical Report 10.
Cleary, Mark, and Goh Kim Chuan. (2000) Environment and Development in the Straits of Malacca. London: Routledge.
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