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The '''Sunda Strait''' is the
strait between the islands of
Java and
Sumatra in
Indonesia. It connects the
Java Sea to the
Indian Ocean.
It is about 30km wide at its narrowest point, which at the north end, but this is a short section, about 30km long, and then it opens out to about 100km for another 100km. There are a number of small islands in the strait; the volcano
Krakatoa is located on one of them.
As one of the two main passages from the
South China Sea to the Indian Ocean
(the other one being the
Straits of Malacca), the Sunda Strait has long been of significance to navigation. Despite the dangers due to its narrowness and rocks, it is much shorter than the Malacca strait, and consequently ships would run fewer risks from
pirates.
In early
1942 the
Battle of Sunda Strait was fought here, a Japanese force sinking the
USS Houston and
HMS Perth as they attempted to prevent the landings on Java.
es:Estrecho de Sunda
pl:Cieśnina Sundajska
