The Strait of Hormuz

What does a narrow strip of water on the other side of the world have to do with your gas tank? In this episode of Five Minute Gist, we explain the Strait of Hormuz, the 21-mile-wide passage that is the only way to reach the open ocean from the Persian Gulf. We look at why so much of the world depends on it, from about 20 million barrels of oil a day to a fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas and a third of its seaborne fertilizer. We break down how the war with Iran has slowed traffic to a fraction of normal, and which shipments have been hit hardest. Finally, we ask the big question: how does a choke point so far away end up raising what Americans pay for gas, diesel, airfare and groceries?

One topic. Five minutes. Just the gist.

Have a topic you'd like explained simply? Send it to topic@fiveminutegist.com.

Have a topic you want discussed on the show? Send a voicemail here, or email us at topic@fiveminutegist.com