The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel of water that connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea (and beyond that the Indian Ocean). It is bounded on one side by Iran, and on the other by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. About 167 kilometres long, it is only about 50 kilometres wide at its entrance and exit, and just 33 kilometres across at its narrowest point. Since territorial waters typically extend 22 kilometres from the mainland, this puts part of the strait in both Iranian and Omanian waters.
