Makassar Strait is a

strait A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...

between the islands of Borneo and

Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...

in Indonesia. To the north it joins the Celebes Sea, while to the south it meets the

Java Sea The Java Sea ( id, Laut Jawa, jv, Segara Jawa) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its nort ...

. To the northeast, it forms the Sangkulirang Bay south of the Mangkalihat Peninsula. The strait is an important regional shipping route in Southeast Asia. The Mahakam River and Karangan River of Borneo empty into the strait. Ports along the strait include Balikpapan and Bontang in Borneo, and

Makassar Makassar (, mak, ᨆᨀᨔᨑ, Mangkasara’, ) is the capital of the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, Surabaya, Med ...

, Palu, and

Parepare Parepare is a city (''kota'') in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, located on the southwest coast of Sulawesi, about north of the provincial capital of Makassar. A port town, it is one of the major population centers of the Bugis people. The city had ...

in Sulawesi. The city of Samarinda is 48 km (30 mi) from the strait, along the Mahakam.

Extent

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Makassar Strait as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:

The channel between the East coast of Borneo and the West coast of Celebes [
Sulawesi Sulawesi (), also known as Celebes (), is an island in Indonesia. One of the four Greater Sunda Islands, and the world's eleventh-largest island, it is situated east of Borneo, west of the Maluku Islands, and south of Mindanao and the Sulu Ar ...
], is bounded: ''On the North.'' By a line joining Mangkalihat Peninsula, Tanjong Mangkalihat, Borneo () and Stroomen Kaap (Tolitoli Regency, Cape Binar), Celebes (). ''On the South.'' By a line from the Southwestern extreme of Celebes (), through the Southern point of Tana Keke, to the Southern extreme of Laoet () thence up the West coast of that island to Tanjong Kiwi and thence across to Tanjong Petang, Borneo () at the Southern end of Laoet Strait.

Gallery

File:Pulau Beras Basah.jpg, Beras Basah Island in Makassar Strait, administrative part of Bontang. File:USS Midway (CV-41) carrier battle group underway in Makassar Strait on 28 September 1985 (6408112).jpeg, USS ''Midway'' (CV-41) and other warships in Makassar Strait, 28 September 1985. File:MV. QAL Ranger (2005-11-14).jpg, Offshore oil rig in Makassar Strait, 2005. File:Pulau Aur (Kalimantan Selatan).jpg, Aur island, administrative part of South Kalimantan. File:65 Indonesians saved from tragedy by U.S. Marines, Sailors 150610-M-ST621-142.jpg, KM Arista ship sunk in Makassar Strait, 10 June 2015.

References

Landforms of Sulawesi Straits of Indonesia Bodies of water of the Celebes Sea Landforms of South Sulawesi Landforms of Central Sulawesi Landforms of East Kalimantan Landforms of Kalimantan {{Indonesia-geo-stub

Extent

Gallery

See also

References