Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway in northeastern Egypt. It links the Mediterranean Sea in the north with the Red Sea in the south. The canal allows ships to move between Europe and Asia by sea without going around the southern tip of Africa. It runs across the Isthmus of Suez, a narrow strip of land between two seas. The canal is one of the most important shipping routes in the world.

Ideas for a canal in this region existed in ancient times. Some early canals connected the Nile River to the Red Sea, but they were shallow and later fell into disuse. The modern Suez Canal project began in the 19th century. It was led by the French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps. Construction started in 1859 under the rule of Egypt’s leader, Saʿid Pasha. Tens of thousands of workers were involved over many years.

The Suez Canal officially opened in November 1869. It was opened with a ceremony attended by leaders from Europe and the Middle East. The canal was built without locks. Locks are structures that raise or lower ships between different water levels. Because the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea are at nearly the same level, ships can pass straight through. The canal was about 164 kilometers long at the time of opening.

In the years after opening, control of the canal became an international issue. Although the canal was built by a French company, the British government later bought many shares. By the late 19th century, Britain had strong influence over the canal. During World War I and World War II, the canal was closely guarded because of its importance for moving troops and supplies.

In 1956, Egypt’s president Gamal Abdel Nasser announced that the canal would be nationalized. Nationalized means taken over by a government. This led to the Suez Crisis, when Britain, France, and Israel took military action against Egypt. The conflict ended after pressure from the United Nations and other countries. After this event, Egypt kept control of the canal.

Since its opening, the Suez Canal has been expanded and improved several times. Wider and deeper sections allow larger ships to pass. In 2015, Egypt opened a new parallel channel in parts of the canal to improve traffic flow. The canal remains a major route for global shipping. It continues to operate under the management of the Suez Canal Authority.