Introduction. The Strait of Hormuz, located between the coast of Iran to the north and Oman with the United Arab Emirates to the south, represents one of the most vital arteries of the modern global economy. Its strategic importance is determined by the fact that a significant portion of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes through this narrow maritime corridor. In late February 2026, the region became the epicenter of an acute military conflict between Iran and a coalition led by the United States and Israel, resulting in the effective blockade of the strait and threatening the stability of global energy markets. I. Geographical Location and Characteristics. The Strait of Hormuz is located in the northwestern Indian Ocean, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, which leads to the Arabian Sea and onward to the Indian Ocean. Its length is 195 kilometers, width varies from 54 to 116 kilometers, and the depth of the navigable channel reaches 27 to 229 meters. The northern shore of the strait belongs to Iran, the southern shore to Oman and the United Arab Emirates. A critically important feature of the strait is its narrowness at the most constricted point. The width here is only 54 kilometers, but considering the territorial waters of the coastal states of 22 kilometers on each side, only two narrow corridors approximately 2.5 kilometers wide remain for international shipping. This makes the strait a classic example of a maritime chokepoint in global logistics. II. Economic Significance: Oil, Gas, and Global Trade. Approximately 20 percent of all global oil supplies and about one-fifth of maritime liquefied natural gas shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz. According to expert estimates, up to 16.5 million barrels of oil are transported through the strait daily, accounting for nearly one-third of the entire global maritime oil exports. The main oil suppliers exporting through the Strait of Hormuz are Saudi Arabia, accounting for ... Читать далее