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- Amid rising tensions with the United States, Iran showcased its military capabilities on Saturday by deploying missile systems on the three contested islands—Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa—situated near the vital Strait of Hormuz.
- Key Facts about the Strait of Hormuz:
- The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway separating Iran from the Arabian Peninsula, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Musandam (Oman).
- It serves as the passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
- Iran lies along the northern coast, while the UAE is situated to the south.
- To the east of the Strait lies the Gulf of Oman, and to the west, the Persian Gulf.
- The strait spans 167 kilometers in length, with a width ranging from 39 kilometers to 95 kilometers.
- Although its width narrows toward the north, it still allows large vessels to navigate through.
- The islands of Hengam, Hormuz, and Qishm are located within or near the Strait of Hormuz.
- The Strait is regarded as one of the world’s most strategically and economically significant chokepoints.
- Approximately 30% of the world’s liquefied natural gas and 25% of its oil pass through this narrow waterway.
- According to insights from the Sixth round of India’s Remittances Survey 2023-24 conducted by the RBI, more than half of the remittances into India came from five countries—the US, UK, Singapore, Canada, and Australia.
- About India’s Remittances:
- India has consistently been the top recipient of remittances globally, with the total amount doubling from $55.6 billion in 2010-11 to $118.7 billion in 2023-24.
- The United States remains the largest contributor, accounting for 27.7% of the total remittances.
- The UAE continues to be the second-largest source, with its share rising from 18% in 2020-21 to 19.2% in 2023-24.
- Remittances from advanced economies, including the US and the UK, have grown in share, overtaking contributions from Gulf economies in 2023-24.
- Together, the US and the UK contributed nearly 40% of the total remittances sent to India through banks in FY24.
- The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain—accounted for 38% of the remittances.
- On the domestic front, Kerala ranks second in terms of remittance inflows, following Maharashtra, which accounted for 20.5% of total remittances in 2023-24.
- Tamil Nadu follows in third place with 10.4%, while Telangana and Karnataka stand at 8.1% and 7.7%, respectively.
- The Telangana Socio-Economic Outlook 2025 report highlights that Hyderabad is facing escalating nighttime heat stress, primarily due to the urban heat island effect.
- About Urban Heat Island :
- The Urban Heat Island effect refers to the phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures compared to the surrounding rural areas.
- This temperature difference is mainly caused by human activities and urbanization, which change the land surface and natural environments.
- Several key factors contribute to the Urban Heat Island effect:
- Reduction in green spaces and natural soil: Urbanization leads to the loss of vegetation (such as trees and lawns), which diminishes the natural cooling processes like shading and evapotranspiration, the latter of which helps cool the air.
- High density of buildings and infrastructure: Urban structures, including concrete buildings and asphalt roads, absorb and retain more heat compared to natural land, worsening the heat in cities.
- Urban layout: Narrow streets and tall buildings form “urban canyons” where warm air is trapped and less able to circulate, amplifying the heat.
- Heat from human activities: Traffic, air conditioning units, and industrial processes release heat, which is then trapped by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, acting as a barrier to cooling.
- The combination of these factors, along with global warming, contributes to the formation of a hot urban microclimate.
- The term "Urban Heat Island" comes from temperature distribution maps where urban areas appear as "islands" of heat in contrast to cooler rural "seas."
- During the day, urban areas absorb heat from the sun, but release it slowly at night, preventing the air from cooling as it does in rural regions. As a result, temperature differences between urban and rural areas at night can reach up to 12°C.