In Opposite Pairs you saw that a strait is the water version of an isthmus. Straits and canals are where seas meet, and ships from all over the world squeeze through them.
Key idea
A strait is a narrow passage of water joining two larger bodies of water. A canal is a waterway dug by people. Key straits: Gibraltar, the Bosporus, Hormuz, Malacca and Bering. Key canals: Panama and Suez.
| Strait or canal | Joins | Between |
|---|---|---|
| Strait of Gibraltar | Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea | Spain (Europe) and Morocco (Africa); 13 km wide at the narrowest |
| Bosporus | Black Sea and Sea of Marmara | Europe and Asia, through the city of Istanbul |
| Strait of Hormuz | Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman | Iran and Oman |
| Strait of Malacca | Indian Ocean (Andaman Sea) and South China Sea | The Malay Peninsula and Sumatra |
| Bering Strait | Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea (Pacific) | Asia (Russia) and North America (Alaska); about 82 km |
| Panama Canal (opened 1914) | Atlantic (Caribbean Sea) and Pacific Ocean | Cut across the Isthmus of Panama |
| Suez Canal (opened 1869) | Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea | Cut across the Isthmus of Suez, Egypt |
Why it works
Ships save huge distances through these passages. Before the Panama Canal, a ship from New York to San Francisco had to sail around the southern tip of South America. Before the Suez Canal, ships between Europe and Asia sailed around Africa. Because so many ships use them, straits and canals matter to trade all over the world.
Worked example: What does it join?
A ship leaves the Mediterranean heading for the Atlantic. Which strait does it pass through?
- The Mediterranean's only natural opening to the Atlantic is at its west end.
- There Spain and Morocco nearly touch.
Answer: The Strait of Gibraltar.
Common mistake
Mixing up a strait and an isthmus. A strait is narrow water between two pieces of land; an isthmus is narrow land between two bodies of water. A canal is a strait made by people, and it is often dug across an isthmus, as at Panama and Suez.