Strait of Hormuz Strait of Hormuz The Strait of Hormuz ( "Tangeye Hormoz" ) 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. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman. At its narrowest, the strait has a width of . About 20% of the world's petroleum (about 35% of the petroleum traded by sea) passes through the strait, making it a
Piracy in the Persian Gulf bin Muhammad Al Qasimi argues in his book "The Myth of Piracy in the Gulf" that the allegations of piracy were simply excuses used by the British to impose imperialism. Piratical activities were common in the Persian Gulf from the late 18th century to the mid 19th century, particularly in the area known as the "Pirate Coast" which spanned from modern-day Qatar to Oman. Piracy was alleviated from 1820 with the signing of the General Maritime Treaty, cemented in 1853 by the Treaty of Maritime Peace in Perpetuity, after which the Pirate Coast began to be known by the British