Which strait is another critical chokepoint along major shipping routes, located near the Red Sea?

• A. Strait of Malacca
• B. Bab el-Mandeb Strait
• C. Strait of Hormuz
• D. Suez Canal

Answer: (B)

Chokepoints are narrow passages where vast amounts of global shipping must pass, so small changes there can have outsized effects on trade. Bab el-Mandeb Strait sits at the southern end of the Red Sea, where the body of water narrows between Yemen and Djibouti and connects to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Its narrow width and heavy traffic make it a critical gateway for routes between Europe/Asia and the Indian Ocean region. That proximity to the Red Sea is what makes it the best fit for this question.

The other options don’t fit as well. The Strait of Malacca is far to the southeast, between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. The Strait of Hormuz lies at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, not near the Red Sea. The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway, not a strait, though it is another major route near the Red Sea.