The narrow stretch of water that connects the Arctic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, separating Asia from North America, is the:

The Bering Strait is a narrow passage of sea, about 82 km wide at its narrowest point, between Cape Dezhnev in Russia (Asia) and Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska, USA (North America). It connects the Chukchi Sea, part of the Arctic Ocean, with the Bering Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean.

Naming:

It is named after Vitus Bering, a Danish-born navigator in the service of the Russian Empire, who sailed through it in 1728.

Diomede Islands:

In the middle of the strait lie two small islands, Big Diomede (Russia) and Little Diomede (USA), only about 4 km apart.

The International Date Line passes between them. So, although they are very close, Big Diomede is almost a full day ahead of Little Diomede. They are sometimes called "Tomorrow Island" and "Yesterday Island".

The maritime boundary between Russia and the USA also runs between them.

The Bering land bridge (Beringia):

• During the last Ice Age, when sea levels were much lower, the strait was dry land, forming a land bridge called Beringia.
• Scientists believe that the first humans to reach the Americas crossed from Asia over this land bridge, roughly 15,000 to 20,000 years ago or earlier.

Strategic and economic importance:

As Arctic sea ice melts, the Bering Strait is becoming more important as the gateway between the Pacific and the Arctic shipping routes.

Other important straits:

• Strait of Gibraltar: connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Spain and Morocco.
• Davis Strait: between Greenland and Baffin Island (Canada), linking Baffin Bay with the Labrador Sea.
• Strait of Hormuz: connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman; a vital route for oil exports.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Strait of Gibraltar, Davis Strait and Strait of Hormuz connect other water bodies.