The meaning of the Strait of Hormuz suggests that Persian etymology derives “Hormuz” from the Middle Persian pronunciation of the name of the Zoroastrian god هرمز Hormoz (Ahura Mazda).
Alternatively, it has been suggested that the name derives from the local Persian word Hur-Mogh هورمغ ‘Place of Dates’. A theory claims that the strait of Hormuz may have been named after Ifra Hormizd, the mother of King Shapur II of Persia, who ruled between 309 and 379 AD. Another theory is that it comes from ὅρμος hormos, the Greek word for ‘cove, bay’
The Strait of Hormuz (/hɔːrˈmuːz/) is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of Oman, with a portion of the southwest of the peninsula under the United Arab Emirates. The strait is about 104 miles (90 nmi; 167 km) long, with a width varying from about 60 mi (52 nmi; 97 km) to 24 mi (21 nmi; 39 km).
It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points. During 2023–2025, 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 25% of seaborne oil trade passed through the strait annually. It is a major source of petroleum products for Europe and Asia and has been described as “critical” to Europe’s energy security. It is also the only maritime route for several Gulf countries including UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, and disruption to the strait can cause severe supply shortages.
The strait has traditionally never been closed for extended time during Middle East conflicts (unlike the Straits of Tiran/Bab-el-Mandeb) though Iran occasionally had threatened to close the strait, and preparations to mine it have been undertaken. The strait has become a major focus during the 2026 Iran war, resulting in the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
