Outer Strait of Malacca

The Strait of Malacca runs between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, opening northwestward toward the Andaman Sea. Its waters link the Indian Ocean with the Singapore Strait and the South China Sea. For centuries merchants used this passage to carry goods between the ports of Asia, with Melaka becoming a major centre of exchange on its eastern shore. The strait's currents and sudden squalls made knowledge of its waters valuable to sailors.