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 is a very important canal in Egypt. It is like a shortcut for ships. This amazing waterway connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
It lies west of the Sinai Peninsula. The canal is about 193 kilometers (120 miles) long. At its narrowest, it is about 300 meters (984 feet) wide. The canal starts at Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea. It ends at Suez on the Red Sea. A French company started building it in 1859. It was finished ten years later in 1869.
Contents
Why the Suez Canal is Important
The Suez Canal helps ships travel faster. It lets them go from Europe to Asia without sailing all the way around Africa. This saves a lot of time and fuel. Before the canal, ships had to make a very long journey. They had to go around the southern tip of Africa. This journey was called the Cape of Good Hope route. The canal made global trade much easier.
Building the Suez Canal
Building the Suez Canal was a huge project. The Universal Suez Ship Canal Company started the work in 1859. It took 10 years to complete. Thousands of workers helped dig the canal. The first ship sailed through the canal on February 17, 1867. A famous opera, Aida, was written for the opening ceremony.
The canal quickly became a key route for trade. It made it easier to move goods around the world. It also helped Europeans travel to East Africa. This led to more European influence in that area.
The success of the Suez Canal inspired other big projects. For example, the French tried to build the Panama Canal. They did not finish it, but it was completed later.
The Canal in Recent Times
The Suez Canal has faced some challenges over the years. It was closed for a long time after a conflict in 1967. It reopened on June 5, 1975. A United Nations peacekeeping group has been in the Sinai Peninsula since 1974. They help keep peace in the area.
Today, about 15,000 ships use the canal each year. This is about 14% of all world shipping. Each ship takes up to 16 hours to cross the canal. In 2015, a part of the canal was made wider. This allows more ships to pass through. It also helps them go faster.
Images for kids
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The southern end of the Suez Canal at Suez on the Gulf of Suez (Red Sea).
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Bathymetric chart of the northern Gulf of Suez, 1856.
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An 1881 drawing of the Suez Canal.
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The Suez Canal in the early 1900s.
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One of the first ships crossing the canal in the 19th century.
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Main currents in the Mediterranean Sea during June.
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The Suez Canal in February 1934, from an air photograph.
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The Canal around 1914.
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Smoke rising from oil tanks hit during an attack on Port Said in 1956.
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Egyptian vehicles crossing the Suez Canal in October 1973.
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An Israeli tank crossing the Suez Canal in 1973.
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Container ship Hanjin Kaohsiung sailing through the Suez Canal.
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Ferdinand de Lesseps, who helped develop the Suez Canal.
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Ships waiting at El Ballah during their journey through the canal.
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October 2014: Northbound ships waiting in the Great Bitter Lake.
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The canal in 2015.
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A large bulk carrier approaching the Friendship Bridge after the canal was deepened.
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See also
In Spanish: Canal de Suez para niños
