The Suez canal is an artificial waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean and the Red Seas. It is single lane with several lie-by areas to pass. There are no locks and seawater flows freely in the canal.
It was built for modern use from 1859 to 1869 to allow ship movement between Asia and Europe without navigating around Africa and has undergone several enhancements. The Canal is now 120.11 miles long, 673 feet wide and 79 feet deep. It serves the hugely oil-rich areas of the Red Sea and allows the easier and safer trade of petroleum products to Europe and west.
While a gigantic engineering project by La Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez (Universal Company of the Maritime Suez Canal) it was, remarkably, a rather ancient idea. The first canal between the Nile River delta and the Red Sea was excavated about the 13th century BC, possibly at the command of either Seti I or Ramses II. Its condition went through various maintenance efforts over the years but was finally abandoned in the 800's A.D.
The modern Suez construction company was originally a private Egyptian concern, its stock owned chiefly by French and Egyptian interests. In 1875 the British government purchased Egypt's shares. The original treaty guaranteed the Canal would be accessible to all nations but, after 1948, it was closed to Israel.
In 1956, after some disagreements with Egypt over their relationship with Russia, the U.S. and Britain withdrew financial support of the Aswan Dam project, Egyptian President-for-life Nasser took the Canal over with plans of using the Canal's receipts to build the dam. Israel invaded Egypt and the French and English invaded the Canal to keep it open. The Egyptians scuttled 40 ships in the canal to block it. Eventually the Canal was reopened and ownership transferred to Egypt.
It was built for modern use from 1859 to 1869 to allow ship movement between Asia and Europe without navigating around Africa and has undergone several enhancements. The Canal is now 120.11 miles long, 673 feet wide and 79 feet deep. It serves the hugely oil-rich areas of the Red Sea and allows the easier and safer trade of petroleum products to Europe and west.
While a gigantic engineering project by La Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez (Universal Company of the Maritime Suez Canal) it was, remarkably, a rather ancient idea. The first canal between the Nile River delta and the Red Sea was excavated about the 13th century BC, possibly at the command of either Seti I or Ramses II. Its condition went through various maintenance efforts over the years but was finally abandoned in the 800's A.D.
The modern Suez construction company was originally a private Egyptian concern, its stock owned chiefly by French and Egyptian interests. In 1875 the British government purchased Egypt's shares. The original treaty guaranteed the Canal would be accessible to all nations but, after 1948, it was closed to Israel.
In 1956, after some disagreements with Egypt over their relationship with Russia, the U.S. and Britain withdrew financial support of the Aswan Dam project, Egyptian President-for-life Nasser took the Canal over with plans of using the Canal's receipts to build the dam. Israel invaded Egypt and the French and English invaded the Canal to keep it open. The Egyptians scuttled 40 ships in the canal to block it. Eventually the Canal was reopened and ownership transferred to Egypt.
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