Strait of Malacca

Strait of Malacca, body of water, southeastern Asia, separating the Malay Peninsula on the northeast from the island of Sumatra on the southwest, and connecting the Andaman Sea, an arm of the Indian Ocean, on the north with the South China Sea on the south. The strait, 800 km (500 mi) long, extends in a southeast-northwest direction and varies in width from 60 km to 480 km (from 40 to 300 mi). At the southern end of the strait are several islands. The strait is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. The largest ports on the strait are Melaka and Singapore.