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The strait that separates India from Sri Lanka, connecting the Bay of Bengal with Palk Bay, is the:
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Answer: Option B — Palk Strait
Detailed Solution
The Palk Strait is a narrow stretch of sea between the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu (India) and the northern coast of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the north-east with Palk Bay in the south-west.
Name:
It is named after Robert Palk, a governor of the Madras Presidency (1755 to 1763) during British rule.
Features of the Palk Strait:
It is about 53 to 80 km wide.
It is very shallow, generally less than 10 to 15 metres deep. This makes it unsuitable for large ships, which have to go around Sri Lanka.
Several rivers of Tamil Nadu, such as the Vaigai, flow into Palk Bay.
The town of Rameswaram, on Pamban Island, lies on the Indian side. It is connected to the mainland by the Pamban Bridge; a new vertical-lift Pamban rail bridge was opened in 2025.
Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar:
- To the south of Palk Bay lies the Gulf of Mannar.
- The Gulf of Mannar is rich in marine life and coral reefs; it is a Marine National Park and a Biosphere Reserve.
Fishing issues:
- Fishermen from both countries often cross the international maritime boundary line in the Palk Strait region, leading to arrests and diplomatic tensions.
- Katchatheevu, a small island in the Palk Strait, was recognised as part of Sri Lanka under agreements in 1974 and 1976, which remains a sensitive political issue in Tamil Nadu.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Strait of Malacca lies between the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.
- ✗The Bab-el-Mandeb lies between Yemen and Djibouti, connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
- ✗The Sunda Strait lies between Java and Sumatra.
Quick tip
Remember: Palk Strait = between India (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka; connects the Bay of Bengal and Palk Bay; named after Robert Palk.
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Physical Features of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Physical Features of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's location and extent, its neighbours and boundary lines, and its physiographic divisions: the Himalayas, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the coastal plains and the islands, along with important mountain passes, peaks and hill ranges. Questions often ask which states the Tropic of Cancer passes through, the southernmost point of India (Indira Point), the highest peak in India (Kangchenjunga), and which pass connects which regions. India shares its longest land border with Bangladesh. Learning the Himalayan ranges from north to south (Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks) is also useful. Practise the physical features of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.