643
: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait
@Indian Ocean:Government
Data code: none; the US Government has not approved a standard for hydrographic codes-see the Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Codes appendix
@Indian Ocean:Economy
Economy-overview: The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Communications
Telephone system: international: submarine cables from India to UAE and Malaysia and from Sri Lanka to Djibouti and Indonesia
@Indian Ocean:Transportation
Ports and harbors: Calcutta (India), Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richard's Bay (South Africa)
@Indian Ocean:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
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INDONESIA
@Indonesia:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago betwee