Gibraltar Strait

Asian Woman Crosses: Bengal swimmer Sayoni Das reportedly became the first Asian woman to successfully swim across the Strait of Gibraltar. This is the main news trigger.

Strategic Waterway: The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, separating Europe (Spain & Gibraltar) from Africa (Morocco). This makes it one of the world’s busiest waterways.

Geographic Details: It’s approximately 58 km long, with its narrowest point being about 13 km wide between Morocco and Spain. The depth ranges from 300 to 900m.

Bordering Countries: Spain and Gibraltar (Europe) lie to the north, while Morocco (Africa) is to the south. The Spanish enclave of Ceuta also borders the strait on the African side.

“Pillars of Heracles”: The Rock of Gibraltar and Mount Hacho (or Jebel Moussa) mark the eastern end of the Strait and are historically known as the Pillars of Heracles.

Formation: The strait formed due to the African Plate’s northward movement towards the European Plate.

Water Flow: A unique water flow pattern exists due to differing salinity levels between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. More saline Mediterranean water flows out underneath less saline Atlantic water flowing in.

Key Port: The Moroccan port of Tanger-Med is a significant port located on the Strait.