The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically vital waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, bordered by Iran to the north and the Musandam Peninsula (part of Oman and the UAE) to the south. Acting as the only sea gate for the Persian Gulf, it is one of the world's most important choke points, carrying roughly 25% of the world's seaborne oil and 20% of its liquefied natural gas (based on 2023-2025 data). The name's origins are debated, possibly stemming from the Persian Hur-Mogh ('Place of Dates') or the Zoroastrian god Hormoz, and the passage was described in the 1st-century mariner's guide Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. Despite long-standing threats from Iran, the strait was never fully closed until the 2026 Iran War, when Iranian blockades sparked the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis. To manage the immense traffic, a traffic separation scheme (TSS) governs the narrow lanes, though very large vessels must often rely on Iranian territorial waters to avoid the shallow approaches on the UAE coastline, as Iran has not ratified the UNCLOS treaty.