The Strait of Hormuz is a strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points. It has been so for centuries, with vast hinterlands rich in luxury trade goods, but no easy access to lucrative trading ports. In his memoirs, Babur, the first padishah of the Mughal Empire, recounted how almonds had to be carried from the distant Ferghana region in Central Asia to Hormuz to reach markets.

During 2023–2025, 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 25% of seaborne oil trade passed through the strait annually. The strait had never been closed for extended time during Middle East conflicts (until this month) (unlike the Straits of Tiran/Bab-el-Mandeb) though Iran occasionally had threatened to close the strait (and they did), and preparations to mine it have been undertaken.

Etymology

Persian etymology derives “Hormuz” from the Middle Persian pronunciation of the name of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the name derives from the local Persian word Hur-Mogh ‘Place of Dates’. A theory claims that the strait of Hormuz may have been named after Ifra Hormizd, the mother of King Shapur II of Persia, who ruled between 309 and 379 AD.

In the 10th–17th centuries AD, the Kingdom of Ormus was located here. Scholars, historians and linguists derive the name “Ormuz” from the local Persian word هورمغ Hur-mogh meaning date palm.

From the 15th century onward, from a strategic point of view, the geography of the strait maintained and expanded its importance with the arrival of foreign powers such as Portugal, which maintained its presence between the 16th and 18th centuries, also provoking disputes with other emerging powers such as England when it arrived in the region in the 17th century.

Navigation

To reduce the risk of collision, ships moving through the strait follow a traffic separation scheme (TSS): inbound ships use one lane, outbound ships another, each lane being two miles wide. The lanes are separated by a two-mile-wide “median”

In 1959, Iran altered the legal status of the strait by expanding its territorial sea to 12 nmi (22 km) and declaring it would recognize only transit by innocent passage through the newly expanded area.[16] In 1972, Oman also expanded its territorial sea to 12 nmi (22 km) by decree.[16] Thus, by 1972, the Strait of Hormuz was completely “closed” by the combined territorial waters of Iran and Oman. During the 1970s, neither Iran or Oman attempted to impede the passage of warships, but in the 1980s, both countries asserted claims that were different from customary (old) law.

Oil trade flow

During 2023–2025, 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas and 25% of seaborne oil trade passes through the Strait, illustrating its important location for trade.

More than 85% of these crude oil exports went to Asian markets on a daily basis, with Japan, India, South Korea and China the largest destinations. If shipping through the Strait of Hormuz were significantly disrupted for an extended period, it could lead to a major oil supply crisis for major Asian importers such as India and China.

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  • anonochronomus [comrade/them, she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
    14·
    4 hours ago

    The suburban cacophony of 2 stroke leaf blower engines is the Amerikkkan equivalent to the call to prayer. When our big beautiful boaters are no longer able to burn oil in their offering to the true God of the Amerikkkan civil religion the final plague will set in; GOLF SHALL BE CANCELLED! !

    theory-gary speech-l

  • ShimmeringKoi [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    7·
    4 hours ago

    I’ve just had one of my best gardening ideas ever. I got a bag of perlite and I’m gonna put it in all the saucers underneath the plant pots. The benefits of this are threefold:

    -It will deprive the skeeters of a summer breeding pool

    -It will slowly evaporate the absorbed extra water, humidifying the immediate area

    -It will serve as a sprouting tray where I can sprout seeds, which in addition to being useful will also look very pretty

  • Blockocheese [any]@hexbear.netEnglish
    5·
    3 hours ago

    Ive felt bad mentally yesterday and today, mostly irritability and I do think it’s from birth control because most of it isnt directed at specific things that are happening, im mostly remembering things from before and getting angry or imagining telling someone off over something that happened before

    Hoping this goes away since its only my second week since restarting so maybe the hormones levels are higher now and that’s why im starting to feel it? And hopefully I just need to adjust

  • ShimmeringKoi [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    6·
    3 hours ago

    Anyone have opinions/experiences growing japanese paper plants (Fatsia Japonica)? I just picked up two little ones because I hear they grow fast and like the shade, if they do well in my apartment I might get more. They can get up to 12 feet in nature, so it’s just what I’m looking for to turn this place into an indoor jungle

  • ShimmeringKoi [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    4·
    3 hours ago

    Had myself a little Kyoshi Kurosawa revenge double feature last night, watched Eyes of the Spider and Path of the Serpent. The second one is definitely the stronger movie, but the first one carries such a unique sense of emptiness that I also recommend it. It’s basically a gangster movie shot like a ghost movie, I love his cinematography and I love the way he uses silence.

    This all started with me watching Cure, and now I’m hopelessly deep diving into his whole body of work