Trade Routes Flashcards
English Channel/La Manche
- Busiest in the world
- Contains Dover Strait, narrowest point of the canal
- Connects North Sea to Atlantic Ocean
- 500+ vessels/day
- Congestion issues & weather delays
Malacca Strait
- 2nd busiest in the world
- Separates Malay Peninsula from Sumatra
- Handles 25% of internationally traded goods
- 96,000+ vessels/year
- connects Indian & Pacific oceans
- Piracy issues & congestion, shallow & narrow
Dover Strait
- Narrowest point of English Channel
- Separates Southern England from Northern France
Strait of Hormuz
- 3rd busiest in the world
- last natural shipping route.
- Middle East’s primary channel
- controls largest oil shipment (20-30% of world’s seaborne oil)
- connects Iran & Oman from the Persian Gulf to Ocean
Suez Canal
- 4th busiest in the world
- Connects mediterranean Sea to Red Sea
- 20,000+ vessels/year
- Shortcut between Europe & Asia
- Shortest route between Mediterranean Sea & Indian Ocean
- Restricts larger ships due to size, political volatility
Panama Canal
- 5th Busiest in the world
- 13’000+ vessels/year
- Link between north & South America
- Connects Atlantic & Pacific Oceans
- Shortcut, vessels don’t have to travel around Cape Horn
- Can’t accommodate vessels over 20k TEU, limits newer vessels
Danish Straits
- Connect Baltic Sea to the North Sea through Kattegat & Skagerrak
- Connects Persian Gulf with Arabian Sea
- Crucial for transport of oil between Russia & Europe
St. Lawrence Seaway
- System of locks, canals & channels in Canada & USA
- Connects Atlantic Ocean to NA Great Lakes
- Most important route in North America
Bosphorus Strait
- Connects Black Sea with Mediterranean Sea
- Border between Asia & Europe
- Crucial for military & oil trade
- 132+ vessels/day
Trans-Pacific Route
Connects Asia and North America
Asia-Europe Route
Links Asia & Europe. Includes Suez Canal to avoid detour around Africa
Transatlantic Route
Connects North America & Canada with Europe
South America-Europe Route
Connects South America (Brazil, Argentina & Chile) with Europe
Intra-Asia Route
Connects China, Japan, South Korea & Southeast Asia. Includes Strait of Malacca
Asia-Middle East Route
Connects Asia with Middle East. Includes Strait of Hormuz
Europe-UK Route
Linkes UK with Europe. Includes the English Channel & North Sea
Russia-Europe Route
Connects Russia with Europe via Baltic Sea & Danish StraitsR
Red Sea Route
Connects Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via Suez Canal. Moves goods from Middle East to Europe & North America.
