Where is the Suez Canal?

The Suez Canal cuts across the Isthmus of Suez in north-east Egypt, running about 193 km from Port Said on the Mediterranean to Suez on the Red Sea. It separates the African mainland from the Sinai Peninsula, which is part of Asia. Because it has no locks, ships sail through at sea level, and it saves vessels travelling between Europe and Asia a voyage of thousands of kilometres around Africa. Roughly 12 per cent of global trade has passed through it in normal years. In March 2021 the giant container ship Ever Given ran aground and blocked the canal for six days, holding up hundreds of ships.