The Great Belt is the Danish strait separating the islands of Zealand and Funen.
It forms the central passage through the Danish Straits, connecting the Kattegat to the north with the Baltic Sea through the Langeland Belt and surrounding waters. The strait has long been important for shipping because it provides a route between the North Sea and the Baltic region.
The Great Belt Fixed Link, opened in stages between 1997 and 1998, connects Zealand with Funen by road and rail. Its suspension bridge crosses the eastern portion between Zealand and the small island of Sprogø, while a combined road-and-rail bridge crosses the western portion toward Funen.
The Great Belt is often confused with the Øresund, which separates Denmark and Sweden, and the Little Belt, which separates Funen from the Jutland peninsula. All three are prominent Danish waterways.