Palk Strait

Palk Strait Latest News

In a fresh incident, 32 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel on charges of poaching along the Palk Straits recently.

About Palk Strait

• It is an inlet of the Bay of Bengal between southeastern India and northern Sri Lanka. 
• It is bounded on the south by Pamban Island (India), Adam’s (Rama’s) Bridge (a chain of shoals), the Gulf of Mannar, and Mannar Island (Sri Lanka). 
• The southwestern portion of the strait is also called Palk Bay. 
• The strait is named after Robert Palk, who was a governor of Madras Presidency (1755-1763) during the Company Raj period.
• The strait is 40 to 85 miles wide, 85 miles long, and less than 330 feet (100 metres) deep. 
• It receives several rivers, including the Vaigai (India), and it contains many islands on the Sri Lankan side. 
• The port of Jaffna, the commercial centre for northern Sri Lanka, lies on the strait. 
• The shoals and numerous islands long have limited transit through the strait to smaller vessels. 

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Palk Strait FAQs

Q1. Which strait separates Sri Lanka from India?

Ans. The Palk Strait separates India from Sri Lanka.

Q2. Where is Ram Setu?

Ans. Ram Setu (Adam’s Bridge) is a chain of limestone shoals connecting Rameswaram Island (India) to Mannar Island (Sri Lanka) across the Palk Strait.

Q3. Which two seas are connected by Palk Strait?

Ans. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest. 

Source: TH