What strait separates the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen?

The Great Belt separates Denmark’s two major islands of Zealand and Funen. It is the central and largest of the three Danish Straits, the others being Øresund and Little Belt, and it forms an important route between the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat.

For centuries, the Great Belt divided Denmark geographically and required travelers and freight to use ferries. That changed with the Great Belt Fixed Link, built in stages during the 1990s. The road bridge, rail tunnel and associated structures connected Zealand with the island of Sprogø and then Funen, with the full crossing opening in 1998.

A common mix-up is Øresund, which lies between Zealand and Sweden. Little Belt separates Funen from the Jutland Peninsula, while the Great Belt lies west of Zealand and east of Funen. The strait is roughly 60 km long and includes islands such as Sprogø and Langeland, making it both a geographic boundary and a major transport corridor.