The Suez Canal - Essential Guide
A constant presence throughout the political and economic twists and turns of the 20th century, the Suez Canal has had a considerable impact on the surrounding area. Peruse this practical guide to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the Suez Canal.
Read more
The Suez Canal in numbers
When was the Suez Canal completed? How long is it? How many tonnes of goods travel through it every year? Check out our info sheet to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the Suez Canal.
Read more
The Suez Canal - Essential Guide
A constant presence throughout the political and economic twists and turns of the 20th century, the Suez Canal has had a considerable impact on the surrounding area. Peruse this practical guide to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the Suez Canal.
Essential phrases
Hello/good evening: Sabah el-kheir
Goodbye: Maa salama
Welcome: Marhaba
Excuse me/please: Ana assif/Min fadlak or Min Fadlik (for a woman)
Thank you: Chukran
Yes/no: Ayoua/la
How are you?: Izzay el hal?
Very well, thank you, and you?: Kewayess, el hamdullilah, chukran, wenta izzay el hal?
My name is…: Esmi...
Gastronomy
Egyptian cuisine is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean flavours of Turkey, Greece, Lebanon and Syria. But there is one popular Egyptian dish that really sets it apart from its neighbours: kushari, a unique combination of rice, brown lentils, fried onions, macaroni, vermicelli and spicy tomato sauce.
History
The predecessor of the Suez Canal, the Canal of the Pharaohs first linked the Nile to the Red Sea around 1900 BC. Regularly clogged with silt, this route was abandoned and reopened multiple times, including during the reign of Ramesses II and in the times of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. The first-known depiction of this waterway dates back to 1300 BC, when it appeared in an Egyptian bas-relief of Pharaoh Seti I walking along a canal in the middle of the desert.
In the spotlight
Having made its way into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, the rabbitfish is considered an invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Now established in the eastern Mediterranean, this herbivore devours the algae needed for the survival of young fish and other species of invertebrates. Its proliferation is being closely monitored to ensure that it does not move into the western part of the Mediterranean.
Culture
Books. Edouard Riou, a painter known for illustrating the novels of Jules Verne and Alexandre Dumas, was commissioned by Ferdinand de Lesseps to create L’Album de l’Impératrice : Voyage pittoresque à travers l’isthme de Suez (The Empress's Album: A Picturesque Journey Through the Isthmus of Suez). This book includes many watercolours depicting the five-day inauguration of the Suez Canal, from 16 to 20 November 1869, and the religious ceremonies surrounding the first journey through the isthmus.
Music. Giuseppe Verdi composed his celebrated opera Aida on the orders of the viceroy of Egypt, Isma'il Pasha, in 1870. The work was intended to mark the inauguration of the Suez Canal and the opening of the new opera house in Cairo. The composer was assisted by Auguste Mariette, a famous French Egyptologist who wrote the scenario for Aida and ensured that the mise-en-scène aligned with his knowledge of ancient Egypt.
Facts and figures
8 000It is estimated that 7,000–8,000 guests were invited to the Suez Canal inauguration in 1869, where they enjoyed an unprecedented level of luxury. Among them were the Empress Eugenie, the Emperor of Austria, the Prince of Prussia, the princes of the Netherlands and Hanover, and ambassadors from England and Russia. The diplomatic side of this event was also intended to ease the tensions that had been brewing in Europe during the 10 years of construction.
The Suez Canal in numbers
When was the Suez Canal completed? How long is it? How many tonnes of goods travel through it every year? Check out our info sheet to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the Suez Canal.
193
Measuring a total of 193.3 kilometres, the Suez Canal connects Port Said on the Mediterranean to the city of Suez on the Red Sea. Its width varies between 289 and 345 metres, with a depth of 22.5 metres.
10
The canal was inaugurated in 1869 on November, 17th after 10 years of work. 400 private companies and 25,000 workers were employed on the site.
8 000
The canal shortens the distance between Rotterdam and Bombay by 8,000 kilometres or 10 days and has become the main transit route between Asia and Europe. Trade between these continents accounts for three quarters of the traffic on the canal. 22% of all containers transported by sea pass through the Suez Canal.
11
After a year of work, the new canal was inaugurated in August 2015. The travel time was reduced from 18 hours to 11 hours. The goal is to increase traffic from 49 boats a day in 2015 to 97 boats a day in 2023.
17 550
Le canal est la 4e source de revenus d’Égypte. En 2015, il a rapporté 5,3 milliards de dollars. En 2017, 17 550 navires ont traversé le canal. Plus d’un milliard de tonnes de marchandises ont transité par le canal, ce qui représente 8% du commerce maritime international.
