What is Strait of Otranto?
[[File:Gulf of Taranto map.png|thumb|right|Map showing the location of the Strait of Otranto.]] The '''Strait of Otranto''' connects the [[Adriatic Sea]] with the [[Ionian Sea]]. It separates [[Italy]] from [[Albania]]. Its width at [[Punta Palascìa]], east of [[Salento]] is less than {{convert|72|km}}.<ref>{{cite book| last1 = Cushman-Roisin| first1 = Benoit| last2 = Gacic| first2 = Miroslav| last3 = Poulain| first3 = Pierre-Marie| last4 = Artegiani| first4 = Antonio| title = Physical Oceanography of the Adriatic Sea: Past, Present and Future| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OFwkVgQNHlsC&pg=PA93| year = 2001| publisher = Springer Netherlands| isbn = 978-1-4020-0225-0| page = 93 }}</ref> The strait is named after the [[Italy|Italian]] city of [[Otranto]]. During [[World War I]], the strait was of strategic importance. The Allied navies of [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Italy]], [[Third French Republic|France]], and [[Great Britain]] kept the [[Austro-Hungarian Navy]] from freely entering the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. In 1997 and 2004, nearly 100 people lost their lives trying to illegally cross the strait. This was following the [[1997 unrest in Albania]] and poor economic conditions in the [[Tragedy of Otranto]] and the [[Karaburun tragedy]]. In 2006, the [[Albanian government]] said that motor-powered sailing boats could not sail on all lakes, rivers, and seas of Albania. This was to prevent organized crime.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.keshilliministrave.al/?fq=brenda&m=news&lid=1850 |title=Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania, www.keshilliministrave.al, 10 August 2006. |access-date=12 June 2012 |archive-date=6 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706071604/http://www.keshilliministrave.al/?fq=brenda&m=news&lid=1850 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Government owned boats, foreign owned boats, fishing boats, and [[jet boat]]s are still allowed. In 2010, the rule was extended for 3 more years, until 2013. == References == {{Reflist}} ==Other websites== {{Commons category-inl