The Suez Canal officially opened in 1869, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.
The canal crosses the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt and created a direct sea route between Europe and the Indian Ocean. Ships using it no longer needed to sail around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, greatly shortening many international voyages.
The inauguration ceremony took place on 17 November 1869. Ferdinand de Lesseps led the Suez Canal Company during the main construction project, although earlier Egyptian and Persian rulers had supported or attempted canals in the region at different times.
The Suez Canal is a sea-level waterway without locks. It was nationalised by Egypt in 1956, contributing to the Suez Crisis. The Panama Canal, which links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, opened later in 1914 and is therefore a different project.