Hambantota Port, which often appears in discussions on Indian Ocean maritime trade and strategic geography, is located in which country?

Introduction / Context:
Hambantota Port is frequently mentioned in news reports about Indian Ocean shipping routes, regional trade, and strategic investments. It is an important deep sea port constructed to handle large cargo volumes and has also been discussed in connection with foreign investments and debt. This question checks whether you know in which country this port is located.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The place in question is Hambantota Port.
• It is located somewhere in the Indian Ocean region.
• Options are Iran, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Pakistan.
• Only one of these countries actually hosts Hambantota Port.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is to connect Hambantota with its national and regional context. Hambantota is a coastal town in the southern part of Sri Lanka. The port built there is meant to complement Colombo Port and increase Sri Lanka role as a maritime hub. Although Iran, Japan, and Pakistan are all important maritime nations, none of them has a major port called Hambantota. Knowing a few headline examples of strategic ports helps in quickly narrowing down the answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Hambantota is a town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Step 2: Remember that Sri Lanka has promoted Hambantota Port as part of its plan to become a key node on Indian Ocean shipping lanes. Step 3: Check the options Iran, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Pakistan and match Hambantota with Sri Lanka. Step 4: Confirm that the other countries have different major ports such as Chabahar in Iran, Karachi in Pakistan, and Yokohama in Japan. Step 5: Select Sri Lanka as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You may recall discussions about Hambantota in relation to international investment and long term leasing arrangements, which are often described as occurring in Sri Lanka. News articles about China Belt and Road Initiative also reference Hambantota as a Sri Lankan port. These repeated associations provide strong confirmation that Sri Lanka is the correct country.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Iran: Has important ports such as Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, but no major port named Hambantota.
Japan: A major maritime power with ports like Tokyo and Yokohama, but not Hambantota.
Pakistan: Known for ports such as Karachi and Gwadar, rather than Hambantota.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse Hambantota with Gwadar or Chabahar because all three appear often in strategic discussions of the Indian Ocean. The key is to remember that Hambantota is linked with Sri Lanka, Gwadar with Pakistan, and Chabahar with Iran. Keeping this small mapping in mind will help you avoid confusion in exam questions.

Final Answer:
Hambantota Port is located in Sri Lanka.