The Strait of Hormuz 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. It has been so for centuries, with vast hinterlands rich in luxury trade goods, but no easy access to lucrative trading ports. In his memoirs, Babur, the first padishah of the Mughal Empire, recounted how almonds had to be carried from the distant Ferghana region in Central Asia to Hormuz to reach markets.
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.[1] It has been so for centuries, with vast hinterlands rich in luxury trade goods, but no easy access to lucrative trading ports. In his memoirs, Babur, the first padishah of the Mughal Empire, recounted how almonds had to be carried from the distant Ferghana region in Central Asia to Hormuz to reach markets.
During 2023–2025, 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 25% of seaborne oil trade passed through the strait annually. The strait had never been closed for extended time during Middle East conflicts (until this month) (unlike the Straits of Tiran/Bab-el-Mandeb) though Iran occasionally had threatened to close the strait (and they did), and preparations to mine it have been undertaken.
Etymology
Persian etymology derives "Hormuz" from the Middle Persian pronunciation of the name of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the name derives from the local Persian word Hur-Mogh 'Place of Dates'. A theory claims that the strait of Hormuz may have been named after Ifra Hormizd, the mother of King Shapur II of Persia, who ruled between 309 and 379 AD.
In the 10th–17th centuries AD, the Kingdom of Ormus was located here. Scholars, historians and linguists derive the name "Ormuz" from the local Persian word هورمغ Hur-mogh meaning date palm.
From the 15th century onward, from a strategic point of view, the geography of the strait maintained and expanded its importance with the arrival of foreign powers such as Portugal, which maintained its presence between the 16th and 18th centuries, also provoking disputes with other emerging powers such as England when it arrived in the region in the 17th century.
Navigation
To reduce the risk of collision, ships moving through the strait follow a traffic separation scheme (TSS): inbound ships use one lane, outbound ships another, each lane being two miles wide. The lanes are separated by a two-mile-wide "median"
In 1959, Iran altered the legal status of the strait by expanding its territorial sea to 12 nmi (22 km) and declaring it would recognize only transit by innocent passage through the newly expanded area.[16] In 1972, Oman also expanded its territorial sea to 12 nmi (22 km) by decree.[16] Thus, by 1972, the Strait of Hormuz was completely "closed" by the combined territorial waters of Iran and Oman. During the 1970s, neither Iran or Oman attempted to impede the passage of warships, but in the 1980s, both countries asserted claims that were different from customary (old) law.
Oil trade flow
During 2023–2025, 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas and 25% of seaborne oil trade passes through the Strait, illustrating its important location for trade.

More than 85% of these crude oil exports went to Asian markets on a daily basis, with Japan, India, South Korea and China the largest destinations. If shipping through the Strait of Hormuz were significantly disrupted for an extended period, it could lead to a major oil supply crisis for major Asian importers such as India and China.
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My chef still believes im 15 minute city conspiracies. He isnt, to put it mildly, an intellectual. He has thoughts that the chicken may have predated the egg, no joke. I cited the fucking neighborhood i grew up in that hasn't had a grocery store for almost 20 years cause the local chain had a deal which should be illegal that another grocery store couldnt be built on the same property for an absurd amount of time, then they closed the store and left it to rot, it recently burned down and im surprised it didnt earlier. This neighborhood has lot of elderly people, poor people, people who cant drive for various reasons, a mental care facility with varying degrees of autonomy amongst patients and some did but their own groceries and cook for themselves, a hospital and while it came in after the grocery store closed, a community college campus. Now thr nearest grocery store requires driving on a highway and while a quick drive at 100 kmph, cant be walked to. I used this not being the case as what the idea is about and he said he didnt want to live in a grocery store. He seemed to be under the impression that due to accessibility to essential goods, rent would skyrocket, like is hasn't already tripled in the last 10 years, and thst would lesd to people being essentially unable to leave, which is the situation Im already in. He also siad he's be okay with it if he could go to a farmers market outside of his 15 minute city. The famers bring their shit to the farmers market that he already can walk to in the real ass city we live in. We both live in a city, a very walkable one. Its a 5 minute city if you're anywhere near the core. Which we both live in. His mind is an enigma
My home town is a literal 15 minute city but people were pissed about it too lol. Its a 15 minute city because its fucking small, but residents demanded council issue a statement they would never be a 15 minute city
Same. Its a city, but not a big one and the suburbs do have major accessibility issues cause everything is so spread out there. I had to tske a half hour bus ride to get across town. Now its a 15 minute walk. Wow, whar a coincidental amount of time.