Suez Canal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Suez Canal |
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| Coordinates | 30°42′18″N 32°20′39″E / 30.70500°N 32.34417°E |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 193.3 km (120.1 miles) |
| Maximum boat beam | 77.5 m (254 ft 3 in) |
| Minimum boat draft | 20.1 m (66 ft) |
| Minimum boat air draft | 68 m (223 ft) |
| Locks | None |
| Navigation authority | Suez Canal Authority |
| History | |
| Original owner | Suez Canal Company (Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez) |
| Construction began | 25 September 1859 |
| Date completed | 17 November 1869 |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Port Said |
| End point | Port Tewfik, Suez |
The Suez Canal (Arabic: قناة السويس, Qanā al-Suways, French: Le Canal de Suez) is a canal in Egypt. It lies west of the Sinai Peninsula. The canal is 163 km long (101 miles) and, at its narrowest point, 300 m wide (984 ft). It runs between Port Said (Būr Sa'īd) on the Mediterranean Sea, and Suez (al-Suways) on the Red Sea. It was built by a French company. The canal was started in 1859 and finished in 1869.
Contents
Uses
The canal allows boats/ships to travel from Europe to Asia without having to go the way around Africa. It was built to go from Egypt to the Indian Ocean.
History
In 1859, the Suez Canal was built by the Universal Suez Ship Canal Company, and took 10 years to build. The first ship to pass through the canal did so on 17 February 1867; Giuseppe Verdi wrote the famous opera Aida for this ceremony.
The canal made it possible to easily transport goods across the world. The canal also allowed Europeans to travel to East Africa, and this area was soon controlled by European powers.
The success of the Suez Canal encouraged the French to try to build the Panama Canal. But they did not finish it. The Panama Canal was finished later.
After the Six Day War in 1967, the canal remained closed until June 5, 1975. A UN peacekeeping force has been stationed in the Sinai Peninsula since 1974, to avoid more wars.
About 15,000 ships pass through the canal each year, which is about 14% of world shipping. Each ship takes up to 16 hours to cross the canal. In 2015 a central part of the canal was expanded so more ships can go through and go faster.
Images for kids
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The southern terminus of the Suez Canal at Suez on the Gulf of Suez (Red Sea)
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Bathymetric chart, northern Gulf of Suez, route to Cairo, 1856
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1881 drawing of the Suez Canal
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Suez Canal, Egypt. early 1900's. Goodyear Archival Collection. Brooklyn Museum
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One of the first traverses in the 19th century
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Predominant currents in the Mediterranean Sea for June
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Suez Canal in February 1934. Air photograph taken by Swiss pilot and photographer Walter Mittelholzer
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The Canal, ca 1914
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Smoke rises from oil tanks beside the Suez Canal hit during the initial Anglo-French assault on Port Said, 5 November 1956
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Egyptian vehicles crossing the Suez Canal on October 7, 1973, during the Yom Kippur War
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Israeli tank crossing the Suez Canal, 1973
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Container ship Hanjin Kaohsiung transiting the Suez Canal
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Ferdinand de Lesseps, developer of the Suez Canal
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Ships moored at El Ballah during transit
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October 2014: the northbound convoy is waiting in the Great Bitter Lake, the southbound convoy pass
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The canal in 2015
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Post-deepening, a capesize bulk carrier approaches the Friendship Bridge
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See also
In Spanish: Canal de Suez para niños
