Strait of Malacca
high riskThe shortest route from the Persian Gulf to China, Japan and Korea. Only 2.7 km wide at its narrowest point.
Open on the interactive map →✕ What if it closes?
How much oil?
About 23.7 million barrels of crude and fuels pass through here every day – the world's busiest chokepoint, or 12 supertankers a day. The map shows 10.5 million of that in crude oil routes.
Why is it a risk?
The world's busiest shipping lane, narrow and shallow – risk of collisions, piracy and blockade in a South China Sea conflict.
Who depends on it?
| Country | share | thousand b/d |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 94% of imports | 2,182 |
| South Korea | 72% of imports | 1,980 |
| China | 57% of imports | 6,328 |
Whose oil is it?
| Supplier | share | thousand b/d |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 33% | 3,471 |
| UAE | 20% | 2,081 |
| Iraq | 15% | 1,561 |
| Iran | 13% | 1,409 |
| Oman | 8% | 819 |
| Kuwait | 7% | 713 |
| Qatar | 4% | 436 |