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Why does the Suez Canal not follow the shortest route across the Isthmus of Suez?
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Suez Canal
Ships in the Suez Canal in Egypt. One of the world's most important shipping lanes, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
The Suez Canal does not follow the shortest 121-km (75-mile) route across the Isthmus of Suez because it was engineered to utilize existing natural depressions.1
By incorporating these shallow, water-filled basins—specifically Lake Manzala, Lake Timsah, and the Bitter Lakes—the builders were able to reduce the total amount of dry excavation required. During the construction process, it was determined that dredging was more cost-effective than dry excavation; consequently, the terrain was artificially flooded and dredged wherever possible to facilitate the creation of the waterway.123