Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade.

Straits are the narrow water bodies connecting two large water bodies whereas Isthmus are narrow piece of land which joins two larger landmasses and separates two water bodies.

Significance in international trade:

• Passage & movement: straits act like international waterways and isthmus are the best sites for construction of ports and canals. They help in reducing the time and increasing the navigational efficiency. For e.g. The Panama Canal is a constructed waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
• Hydrocarbons: Strait of Hormuz connects the oil rich west Asian countries to rest of the world. It is the main link for South Asian countries including India to meet their energy demands.
• Key routes & choke points: Approximately 12% of global trade passes through the Suez canal  at isthmus of Suez and strait of bab el-mandeb representing 30% of all global container traffic, and over USD $1 trillion worth of goods per annum.
• Reliability: Countries like Russia depend heavily on straits of Bosphorous and black sea in order to have all weather port facility.
• Strategic and geopolitical aspect: Controlling of these narrow passage my alter the international trade and cut essential supplies. For e.g. strait of Malacca poses ‘malacca dilemma’ for China. Countries like India, Australia are focussing to develop canal across isthmus of kra to join Andaman sea and gulf of Thailand.
• New routes: In the backdrop of climate change and consequent melting of Arctic sea, The importance of Bering strait has grown multiple times.

Despite all these significances, it must be understood that these areas are ecologically fragile too. Hence their overuse for trade might have detrimental effect on biodiversity. Therefore principles of sustainable development must be adopted while planning.