Question

How has 'Suez Canal' shortened the distance between India and Europe?

Answer 1

Hint: Suez Canal is a man-made canal that connects the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The construction of this canal was done between 1859 and 1869 by the Suez Canal Company.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway that connects the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It took 10 years to complete this canal and was officially opened on 17th November 1869. It is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority. The unique geographical position of the Suez Canal makes it of special importance to the world and to Egypt as well. The canal stretches from Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea for about 193 km approximately and separates the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt and Asia from Africa.

Indian ships earlier had to go around the Cape of Good Hope which made the route much longer and expensive; but with the construction of the Suez Canal, the transportation of Indian goods became faster. It almost saves 23 days on average. The direct linkage between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea results in a more direct route for shipping between Asia and Europe, thus making it vital for international trade. The distance between India and Europe has been reduced by 7000 km approximately. At present, ships carrying more than 300 million tons of goods navigate the canal daily.

Note: The Suez Crisis began on 26th July 1956 when the then Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser decided to nationalize the Suez Canal Company, which was under the joint control of both the British and French governments. Nasser declared such a decision to prevent Soviet influence in the region and to become independent of the colonial empires.