Editing Karimata Strait

{{Short description|Waterway in Indonesia between the islands of Belitung and Borneo}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name                   = Karimata Strait
| native_name        ={{native name|id|Selat Karimata}}
| image                  = Straat Karimata.JPG
| caption                = Karimata Strait
| image_bathymetry       = 
| caption_bathymetry     = 
| depth                  = 
| max-depth              =
| inflow                 =
| outflow                =
| catchment              =
| basin_countries        = [[Indonesia]]
| length                 = 
| width                  = 
| min_width              =
| islands                = 
| etymology              = 
| location               = 
| pushpin_map            = Indonesia Sumatra
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_alt        =
| pushpin_map_caption    = 
| coordinates            = {{Coord|2|05|S|108|40|E|type:waterbody_region:ID|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint          =
| part_of                =
| alt                    =
| type                   = [[strait]]
| cities                 = 
| area                   = 
| oceans                 = 
| website            = 
| reference          = [https://geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=-3709454&fid=2454&c=indonesia Selat Karimata: Indonesia] National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Bethesda, MD, USA 
}}

The '''Karimata Strait''' (alternatively,  '''Carimata'''{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=224}} or '''Caramata''';{{sfn|Boulger|1897|p=102}} {{langx|id|Selat Karimata}}) is a wide [[strait]] that connects the [[South China Sea]] to the [[Java Sea]], separating the Indonesian [[island]]s of [[Belitung]] to the west and [[Borneo]] ([[Kalimantan]]) to the east. It is the widest strait between the South China Sea and the Java Sea (other straits include the [[Bangka Strait|Bangka]] and [[Gaspar Strait|Gaspar]] straits), but its numerous islands and [[reef]]s reduce its navigability. Its weather and current is influenced by the annual southeast and northwest [[monsoon]].

It was used as an invasion route by the British fleet in the [[Invasion of Java (1811)|1811 Invasion of Java]] in the [[Dutch East Indies]]. More recently, it was the site of the crash of [[Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501]], and the location of the 2016 edition of [[Sail Indonesia]] (dubbed "Sail Karimata Strait").

== Geography ==
The strait is about {{convert|128|mi|nmi km}} wide from the east coast of [[Belitung]] (also known as Billiton) to the west coast of Borneo (Kalimantan).{{sfn|Merriam-Webster|1997|p=573}} The much narrower [[Gaspar Strait]] separates Belitung from [[Bangka Island]] to the west.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=179}} Bangka lies close to the east coast of Sumatra, separated from it by the [[Bangka Strait]].{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=139}} To the east of Belitung lie reefs and a group of islets known as the Montaran Islands, extending up to {{convert|40|nmi|mi km}} from Belitung's northeastern coast.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|pp=224, 236}} The [[Karimata Islands]] lie in the eastern part of the Karimata Strait, northeast of Belitung, southwest of Maja Island, and off-shore from the west coast of Borneo.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=224}} The presence of these islands and reefs reduce the width of the main navigable channel to about {{convert|45|nmi|mi km}}.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=224}} Outside this main fairway, there are multiple navigable channels to the east of Karimata Islands or between the islands.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|pp=224–5}}

The Rivers [[Kapuas River|Kapuas]], Kendawangan, [[Pawan River|Pawan]], and [[Sambas River|Sambas]] (in Borneo), as well as the Rivers [[Barumun River|Barumun]] and [[Musi River (Indonesia)|Musi]] (in Sumatra) empty to the strait.{{sfn|Milliman|Farnsworth|2013|pp=321–322}}

=== Climate ===
The southeast [[monsoon]] prevails in the strait from about the end of May, which comes with strong southeast or south-southeast wind, a dry weather, and mist that can obscure visibility. The northwest monsoon comes from the beginning of October, characterized by thunderstorms, rain and squalls alternating with calm days with fair weather. The biggest rainfall occur from November to February. From February, the weather becomes unpredictable because of the changing monsoon, before settling again around the end of May.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=26}}

=== Currents and water transport ===
The current strength of the strait vary depending on the monsoon wind. At the peak of either monsoon, the current can run up to {{convert|3|nmi/h|km/h|order=flip|0|abbr=off}} When the monsoon is light, "there is little or no current" and the direction may be subject to the [[tide|tidal stream]].{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=225}}

The strait's currents run between the [[South China Sea]] to its north and the [[Java Sea]] to its south.{{sfn|Indo-Pacific Climate|p=158}} Since it is relatively shallow, with the depth of {{convert|50|m|feet}} or less, the volume transported by the current is relatively small.{{sfn|Indo-Pacific Climate|p=161}} A 2007–2008 study by a group of Indonesian and Chinese researchers found that the transport volume averaged 500,000 m<sup>3</sup>/second (or 0.5 [[Sverdrup|Sv]]) with a net southward direction (i.e. to the Java Sea).{{sfn|R. Dwi Susanto|Wei Zexun|Adi Rameyo T.|Fan Bin|2013|p=1}} During the northern hemisphere winter, roughly during the northwest monsoon, water flowed southward averaging 2.7 Sv.{{sfn|R. Dwi Susanto|Wei Zexun|Adi Rameyo T.|Fan Bin|2013|p=1}} The flow was reversed during the northern hemisphere summer, roughly during the southwest monsoon, with an average transport of 1.2 Sv.{{sfn|R. Dwi Susanto|Wei Zexun|Adi Rameyo T.|Fan Bin|2013|p=1}}

== History ==
[[File:Karimata Strait 1917 Nautical chart.jpg|thumb|upright|A 1917 nautical chart of the strait, published by the [[United States Hydrographic Office]].]]
It was known to British sailors in the 18th and 19th centuries as the Caramata Passage. The strait was used as a route by the British fleet for its [[Invasion of Java (1811)]], sailing from the British base in [[Malacca]] to the island of Java, then part of the [[Dutch East Indies]].{{sfn|Boulger|1897|p=102}} Initially, the British were unsure of the strait's practicability, and hesitated between taking it or a northeast passage around the north of Borneo and through [[Makassar Strait]].{{sfn|Raffles|2013|pp=39,41}} A report by [[Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles]], then a British officer in Malacca, recommended taking the Karimata route, which he considered "less dangerous than tedious" than the northeast passage during that time of year.{{sfn|Raffles|2013|p=39}} Raffles estimated that this journey would take the British fleet between a month and six weeks for "the fleet sailing in divisions".{{sfn|Raffles|2013|p=39}} The British [[Governor-General of India]] [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto|The Lord Minto]] decided to take Raffles's suggestion over the objection of some naval officers.{{sfn|Boulger|1897|pp=102–103}} The fleet, numbering about 100 vessels and transporting about 11,000 troops, departed Malacca between 11 and 18 June 1811,{{sfn|Boulger|1897|p=125}} and reached the coast of Java on 30 July after a smooth journey, exactly six weeks after Minto and Raffles' departure.{{sfn|Boulger|1897|p=103}}

A 1915 publication by the [[United States Hydrographic Office]] commented that despite being much wider, the strait did not have as much traffic as the parallel [[Bangka Strait|Bangka]] or [[Gaspar Strait]]s. The publication said that the advantage of its breadth was often outweighed by the danger posed by shoals in the strait, as well as its more irregular currents.{{sfn|Asiatic Pilot|p=224}}

== Recent events ==
On 28 December 2014 [[Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501]] crashed into the strait, after losing contact over the [[Java Sea]] while en route to [[Singapore]] from [[Surabaya]], [[East Java]]. All 162 passengers and crew aboard the plane perished, however, only 116 were physically recovered by the time search-and-rescue operations concluded in March 2015.<ref name="AvHerald">{{cite web | url=http://avherald.com/h?article=47f6abc7&opt=0 |title=Crash: Indonesia Asia A320 over Java Sea on Dec 28th 2014, aircraft went missing believed to have impacted waters | first =Simon | last = Hradecky |date=30 December 2014 | work=[[The Aviation Herald]] | access-date=30 December 2014}}</ref>

'''[[Sail Indonesia]]''' (2016), also dubbed "Sail Karimata Strait 2016", was a [[sailboat]] competition held within the strait. Four [[Provinces of Indonesia|Indonesian provinces]]—on both sides of the strait ([[West Kalimantan]], [[Jambi]], [[Bangka Belitung]] and the [[Riau Islands]], respectively)—hosted the race, with the peak event having taken place on 15 October on Datuk Island, [[North Kayong Regency]], West Kalimantan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/10/15/jokowi-opens-sail-karimata-strait-2016-in-west-kalimantan.html|title=Jokowi opens Sail Karimata Strait 2016 in West Kalimantan|work=[[The Jakarta Post]]|date=15 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/104936/sail-karimata-strait-2016-to-involve-four-provinces|title=Sail Karimata Strait 2016 to involve four provinces|date=30 May 2016|work=[[Antara (news agency)|Antara]]}}</ref>

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{cite book|last=Boulger|first=Demetrius Charles|author-link=Demetrius Charles Boulger|title=The Life of Sir Stamford Raffles|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.501910|year=1897|publisher=Marshall|location=London}}
* {{cite book|author=Merriam-Webster|author-link=Merriam-Webster|title=Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Co_VIPIJerIC|year=1997|publisher=Merriam-Webster|isbn=978-0-87779-546-9}}
* {{cite book|last1=Milliman|first1=John D. |last2=Farnsworth|first2=Katherine L. |title=River Discharge to the Coastal Ocean: A Global Synthesis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GWymw0PtH1MC|year=2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-49350-5}}
* {{cite book|last=Raffles|first=Sophia |title=Memoir of the Life and Public Services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vcc0AAAAQBAJ|date=2013-09-05|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-108-06604-4}}
* {{cite book|ref={{SfnRef|Asiatic Pilot}}|author=[[United States Hydrographic Office]]|title=Asiatic Pilot: Sunda Strait and the southern approaches to China Sea with west and north coasts of Borneo and off-lying dangers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AtQNAQAAMAAJ|year=1915|publisher=United States Hydrographic Office}}
* {{cite journal|author1=R. Dwi Susanto|author2=Wei Zexun|author3=Adi Rameyo T.|author4=Fan Bin|author5=Li Shujiang|author6=Fang Guohong|title=Observations of the Karimata Strait througflow from December 2007 to November 2008|date=2013|journal=Acta Oceanologica Sinica|pages=1–6|volume=32|issue=5|doi=10.1007/s13131-013-0307-3}}
* {{cite book|ref={{SfnRef|Indo-Pacific Climate}}|author1=Swadhin Kumar Behera|author2=Toshio Yamagata|title=Indo-Pacific Climate Variability and Predictability|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OmjFCwAAQBAJ|date=2015-12-09|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-4696-63-0}}

{{List of Indonesian seas}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Straits of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Straits of the Java Sea]]
[[Category:Straits of the South China Sea]]
[[Category:Landforms of Sumatra]]
[[Category:Landforms of Kalimantan]]