Importance
Choke points remain a prominent issue today in the global economy and shipments of goods, particularly oil. Twenty percent of the world's oil is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, which has seen previous conflicts such as the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by American missiles in 1988. The Suez Canal and Sumed pipeline carry 4.5 million barrels (720,000 m3) a day, while the canal carried a total of 7.5% of world trade in 2011. The canal was closed for eight years after the Six Day War in 1967. In many instances, alternate routes are non-existent or unpractical. For example, an alternate to the Suez/Sumed route required an additional 6,000 miles (9,700 km) around to Cape of Good Hope. The Royal Navy also deem their choke points to the Atlantic as strategically important to this day.
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