In the 5th century AD, Portuguese navigator da Gama bypassed the Cape of Good Hope in Africa and opened a route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The opening of this new route has greatly strengthened the trade between Europe and the countries along the Indian Ocean.
However, the Cape of Good Hope is one of the most powerful and intense sea areas in the world, and many ships capsized when passing through it. The Cape of Good Hope is a famous storm horn in history.
It is too long and far to bypass the Cape of Good Hope as a channel to communicate between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. So, is there a shortcut?
Later, it was discovered that there was a long and narrow Suez isthmus between the Nile Delta and Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. People imagine that if we dig through here, wouldn't it greatly shorten the voyage?
On April 25th, 859, the Suez Canal broke ground. After nearly 1 1 years of hard work, the canal was finally dug. In order to dig the Suez Canal, 654.38+200,000 Egyptians sacrificed their lives. No wonder some people say
The Suez Canal was bought by the Egyptians with their lives, blood and sweat.
Suyitu Canal is195km long, 365m wide and16m deep. Now, nearly 20,000 ships from more than 65,438+000 countries and regions pass through the Suez Canal every year, and the cargo volume of the canal accounts for 65,438+04% of world shipping's trade volume.
The Suez Canal has become the traffic artery of Asia, Africa and Europe, and it has also become a shortcut to connect the eastern and western hemispheres.