RAS question
The Strait of Hormuz connects:
Correct answer: (D) Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman/Arabian Sea.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
Explanation
The Strait of Hormuz is the sea passage between Oman and Iran that links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and, beyond it, the Arabian Sea. That is why option D is the exact match. The EIA treats Hormuz as one of the world's most important oil chokepoints because large volumes of oil move through it and available bypass routes can handle only part of those volumes if the strait is closed. Hormuz is about 54 km wide at its narrowest point, and roughly 20% of the world's petroleum passes through it. EIA's latest chokepoint table reports 20.9 million barrels per day of oil flows through Hormuz in the first half of 2025, about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Red Sea route relates to other chokepoints such as Bab el-Mandeb, not to Hormuz, which leads out of the Persian Gulf.
- (B) The Pacific-to-Indian Ocean connection is associated with the Strait of Malacca in the EIA source, not with the Strait of Hormuz.
- (C) The Mediterranean-to-Atlantic link points to a different maritime setting; Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.
Concept
This tests the world geography concept of straits and maritime chokepoints. RAS repeats such locations because they combine map-based recall with strategic and economic significance.