Strait of Hormuz: How it got its name and why it was called the ‘jewel in the ring of the world’

As tensions rise in West Asia, the Strait of Hormuz has once again become one of the world’s most closely watched waterways. Tanker traffic through the narrow passage has slowed sharply amid the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Just 33 km wide at its narrowest point, the strait connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through this corridor, making it the most important energy chokepoint on the planet. But long before it became a symbol of global energy security, the Strait of Hormuz carried…