Strait - Kaikyou

A long, narrow waterway that connects two ocean areas. Also called a channel or a seto. Straits have often been important military, political, and commercial locations since ancient times. Good examples include the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean and Atlantic Oceans, the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Dover, which connects the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Straits that connect two ocean areas with large tidal differences have strong tidal currents and are prone to change in speed and direction, so ships must navigate with care. The Naruto Strait is a particularly famous example. Among straits, the narrow channels and the names Seto are often found in the waters between the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, and many of them have beautiful scenery.

[Masami Ichikawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

二つの海域を結ぶ細長い水路。水道、瀬戸ともいう。海峡は古来しばしば軍事上、政治上、商業上の要地となった所が多い。たとえば、地中海と大西洋を結ぶジブラルタル海峡や、黒海と地中海を結ぶボスポラス海峡、北海と大西洋を結ぶドーバー海峡、インド洋と南シナ海を結ぶマラッカ海峡などその好例である。潮差の大きい二つの海域を結ぶ海峡では、潮流が強く、流速や流向が変化しやすく、船舶の航行に注意を要する。その例としては鳴門(なると)海峡がとくに有名である。海峡のうち、狭い水道や、瀬戸という名称は、瀬戸内海の島々との間の水域に多く、風景に優れている所が多い。

［市川正巳］

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