Aurean Straits
| Aurean Straits | |
|---|---|
| File:Aureanstraits.png | |
| Location | Solarian Sea—Gulf of Assonaire |
| Coordinates | 28°30′N 6°20′E (Western strait) and 28°30′N 6°60′E (Eastern strait) |
| Type | Strait |
| Managing agency | Aurean Forum |
| Min. width | 5.1 kilometres (3.2 mi) |
| Average depth | 38 metres (125 ft) |
The Aurean Straits are a pair of narrow natural channels at the narrowest point between the continents of Euclea and Coius. They lie to either side of the island city-state of Montecara and border Florena on the Euclean side and Tsabara on the Coian side. The Straits lie in the three countries’ territorial waters but are open to all traffic under the principle of transit passage.
Ship traffic
The Straits are the most-trafficked shipping route in the world. In 2017 nearly 92,000 ships transited the straits, an average of approximately one ship every six minutes year-round.
Crossings
The Western channel tunnel is a rail connection between Montecara and the Euclean mainland via Florena.
Oil and gas pipelines run from Tsabara underneath Montecara to Euclea.
Governance
The Aurean Forum is the regional intergovernmental organization responsible for the administration of the Straits. Its mandates include navigation, fisheries, the protection of the natural environment, and the extraction of seabed resources.
Illegal migration
The Eastern strait is a focal point for illegal migration from Coius to Euclea. The area is heavily patrolled by the Montecaran Dragòni and Navy, which regularly interdict boats of migrants attempting to land on Montecaran or Florean soil.