Madura Strait

Madura Strait is a stretch of water that separates the Indonesian islands of Java and Madura, in the province of East Java. The islands of Kambing, Giliraja, Genteng, and Ketapang lie in the Strait. The Suramadu Bridge, the longest in Indonesia, spans the strait between Surabaya on Java and Bangkalan on Madura.^[1]

Madura Strait
Selat Madura (Indonesian)
Madura Strait as seen from Surabaya with Madura Island in the background.
Madura Strait
Madura Strait separates the islands of Java (left) and Madura (center).
Location	Southern Indonesia, between Java Sea, Bali Sea, and Bali Strait
Coordinates	7°21′S 113°03′E
Type	Strait
Part of	Indian Ocean
Primary inflows	Brantas River Bengawan Solo
Basin countries	Indonesia
Surface area	9,500 km2 (3,700 sq mi)
Average depth	49 m (161 ft)
Max. depth	81 m (266 ft) at Eastern Side of Madura Strait
Settlements	Gresik, Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan, Probolinggo, Situbondo, Sumenep, Sampang, Pamekasan, Bangkalan
References	Selat Madura: Indonesia National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Bethesda, MD, USA

In some old Western and old Indonesian sources, the strait commonly appears as Surabaya Strait (Indonesian: Selat Surabaya), but this name is not accepted in the official cartography.^[2][3]

Geography

The Madura Strait is located in the east of the province of northern East Java, precisely in the southwest, north, and east of the city of Surabaya; east of Sidoarjo Regency; west and south of the island of Madura; and north of the Pasuruan, Probolinggo, and Situbondo area. In this strait there are also small islands, including Kambing Island, Giliraja Island, and Genteng Island near the island of Madura, and Ketapang Island in the coastal waters of Probolinggo Regency. As a maritime waterway, the Madura strait connects various seas along the Java sea, Bali sea, and Bali strait.

A remarkable story about the origin of the Madura Strait is contained in the Javanese historical poem of Nagarakertagama, dating from circa 1365. According to the author of the poem, the strait between Java and Madura, which originally were supposedly a single island, was formed in 202 as a result of a powerful earthquake. This version does not have any scientific confirmation.^[4]

Culture and economic importance

Activities in Tanjung Perak

The Madura Strait coastal community has a culture similar to other coastal communities. One of its customs is a tradition held on a specific date, based on the Islamic calendar, called Pethik Laut, in the form of offerings carried together and released in the middle of the beach. The livelihood of the majority of people throughout the Madura Strait coastline is as fishermen and salt farmers; the strait coastal area is also one of the largest salt producers in Indonesia.

The Madura Strait is also a center for tourism, industry and transportation. A power plant, PLTU Paiton, is located on the coast of the strait, in the Paiton sub-district, Probolinggo Regency, and is one of the largest of Java. Tourism attractions on the Madura Strait coast include the famous ones at Kenjeran Beach in Surabaya, Bentar Beach in Probolinggo District, and Pasir Putih Beach in Situbondo Regency.

Sea transportation facilities include ferry boats, which connect the Madura Strait on two lines, namely the line connecting Ujung Port (Surabaya) with the Port of Kamal (Bangkalan, Madura), and the line connecting Kalianget Port (Sumenep, Madura) with Pelabuhan Jangkar (Situbondo, East Java). Another transportation facility is the Suramadu Bridge as a means of land transportation connecting Java with Madura, having a major impact on the economy of the two islands.