The Strait of Hormuz in History, War and Markets: 33 Kilometers That Rule the World by Julian Al-Rami For three millennia, power, faith, and trade have converged in one of the smallest yet most strategic places on Earth: the Strait of Hormuz. At just 33 kilometers wide, this narrow corridor between Iran and Oman moves one fifth of the world’s oil, one fifth of its liquefied natural gas, and the pulse of global markets themselves. When tankers halted and prices surged past $100 a barrel in March 2026, the world rediscovered an old truth — geography still rules the modern economy. In The Strait of Hormuz in History, War and Markets , independent researcher and writer Julian Al-Rami traces the full arc of this strategic chokepoint: from ancient trading ports and Portuguese forts to Cold War convoys, drone patrols, and the data-driven markets of today. Drawing on publicly verified sources, historical records, and modern energy data, Al-Rami explains how thirty-three kilometers of sea became the hinge of globalization. He explores: The 2026 crisis that paralyzed tankers and shocked oil and gas prices worldwide. - Three centuries of imperial rivalry — Portuguese, British, and modern superpowers — fought for this single passage. - The mathematics of dependency: how 20 million barrels a day and trillions in trade squeeze through a corridor barely wider than a city commute. - How markets, insurers, and navies react when Hormuz "is in play." - Possible futures — from energy transition to recurring geopolitical shocks. A gripping synthesis of history, strategy, and economics, The Strait of Hormuz in History, War and Markets reveals how one narrow waterway continues to decide the fortunes of nations and the prices the rest of us pay. Timely, authoritative, and beautifully written — this book turns a map reference into a masterclass on the physics of global power. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand how global crises, markets, and power politics converge today.