Suez Canal
Nickname/Alias:Qanat al-Suways
Details:
The Suez Canal (in Arabic:Qanat al-Suways) crosses the isthmus of Suez in Egypt and connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The Canal runs almost north-south for 163 kilometers (101 miles) from Port Said in the north to Suez in the south. At both ends dredged channels connect the Canal with the sea. The waterway was once the most heavily-used shipping lane in the world.
The Canal uses several lakes en route: Lake Manzala, Lake Timsah, and the two Bitter Lakes. There are no locks. To its west lies the Nile Delta and to its east the Sinai Peninsula.
When first opened in 1869 (built by [built by] de Lesseps*) it was only 26 ft deep and at 200 ft wide, and required bays to be added so that ships could pass each other. In 1876 major improvements were undertaken. These included widening and deepening, bank protection, and many new berths for ships at Port Said.
After the end of the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 (when the Canal was closed by sunken wrecks) further improvements were begun on re-opening in 1975.
Today, facing competition from airborne cargo and passenger transportation, the Canal’s main traffic lies in crude petroleum products, coals, ores and metal, cereals, empty oil tankers, and light container vessels. The Canal belongs to and is administered by the Egyptian state.
Oneliner: The Suez Canal was once the most heavily-used shipping lane in the world.
Bibliography:
- Encyclopedia Britannica.