Turkish Straits
Also called: Bosporus, Dardanelles · Topic: World Physical Features and Natural Regions · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Turkish Straits are two narrow straits, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, joined by the Sea of Marmara. Together they link the Black Sea to the Mediterranean through Turkey. They are the only sea route out of the Black Sea, so countries like Russia and Ukraine need them for trade. The Montreux Convention (1936) sets the rules for passage. Under it, Turkey can block warships during wartime.
Example
The Bosphorus runs through Istanbul and divides Europe from Asia. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Turkey used the Montreux Convention to close the straits to warships.
Don't confuse with
- Kerch Strait: this joins the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, between Russia and Crimea. It is not in Turkey.
- Strait of Gibraltar: this joins the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, between Spain and Morocco.
Related concepts
- Strait of Hormuz
- Bab-el-Mandeb
- Strait of Malacca
- Mozambique Channel
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Bosphorus
- Kerch Strait
- Taiwan Strait
- Bering Strait
- Drake Passage