Ships from which of the following countries have to cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach out to the Indian Ocean?

Answer: (b) 1 and 3

Bahrain and Qatar are both inside the Persian Gulf.

Statement by statement

1. ✓ YES — an island inside the Persian Gulf Bahrain lies deep inside the Gulf; every ship leaving it must pass Hormuz.

2. ✗ NO — Mediterranean coast Syria’s ports (Latakia, Tartus) are on the Mediterranean; its route to the Indian Ocean is via Suez and the Red Sea.

3. ✓ YES — a peninsula in the Gulf Qatar’s LNG — much of it bound for India — sails out through Hormuz.

4. ✗ NO — Red Sea coast Egypt reaches the Indian Ocean down the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb.

The idea

Countries wholly inside the Gulf — Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar — must use Hormuz. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran have other coasts too (Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea).

Persian Gulf → Strait of Hormuz → Gulf of Oman → Arabian Sea

Why the others are wrong

(a) Syria is on the Mediterranean.

(c) Syria has no Gulf coast.

(d) Egypt uses the Red Sea route.

The trap

Syria and Egypt are “Middle East” countries, so they feel Gulf-bound. Both face the Mediterranean and the Red Sea instead.