What body of water separates Australia from Papua New Guinea?

• A. Arafura Sea
• B. Coral Sea
• C. Timor Sea
• D. Torres Strait

Answer: (D)

Understanding how coastlines and narrow waterways define political boundaries helps here. The water body that separates Australia from Papua New Guinea is the Torres Strait. It sits between the northern tip of Queensland and the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, forming the boundary where the Arafura Sea lies to the west and the Coral Sea lies to the east. The strait is shallow and dotted with many islands, making it a distinctive maritime passage between the two lands. The other seas mentioned are nearby but lie outside the direct dividing line: the Arafura Sea is west of the strait, the Coral Sea east of it, and the Timor Sea is farther to the southwest. So the Torres Strait is the water body that sits right between the two.