The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Constructed by the Suez Canal Company, the canal spans nearly 200 km from Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea to the Port of Suez on the Red Sea. It separates the African continent from Asia and provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and countries lying in the Indian and western Pacific oceans. The canal was opened to traffic on November 17, 1869.
Importance of the canal
The Suez Canal is one of the most important waterways in the world, supporting nearly 8% of the world’s shipping traffic. Thanks to it, ships no longer have to make a voyage around the southern tip of Africa. This saves them a journey of several thousand kilometres.
The canal has a significant impact on world trade as it facilitates the movement of goods across the globe in record time. It is also a major source of income for the Egyptian government as companies and countries have to pay to use it.
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