Which sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal?

The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.

The canal crosses the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt and provides a direct maritime route between Europe and Asia. Before its construction, ships travelling between the Atlantic and Indian Ocean generally had to sail around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa.

The modern Suez Canal opened to navigation in November 1869. It runs from Port Said on the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Suez, which connects with the northern Red Sea. The canal has no locks because the Mediterranean and Red Sea are close enough in level for a sea-level waterway.

The canal is one of the world’s most important shipping routes. It was nationalized by Egypt in 1956, and the Suez Crisis followed when Britain, France, and Israel attacked Egypt. In 2021, the container ship Ever Given became stuck in the canal, blocking traffic for several days. The canal’s strategic importance comes from shortening the Europe–Asia sea route considerably.