English Channel

English Channel Latest News

French ​coastguards rescued ‌157 people from a ​boat ⁠carrying migrants that caught fire ‌in the English Channel ‌recently.

About English Channel

• The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is a narrow arm of the Atlantic Ocean.
• It separates the southern coast of England (part of Great Britain) from the northern coast of France. 
• It is separated from the North Sea on the north by the Strait of Dover.  
• The current name, “English Channel,” dates back to the 18th century. Before then, the English mostly referred to the waterway as a “Narrow Sea.”
• The French refer to the Channel as “la Manche” because of its sleevelike shape.
• It is about 563 km long and 246 km wide. Its narrowest part is the Strait of Dover, which is only 34 km wide.
• With an area of some 75,000 sq.km., it is the smallest of the shallow seas covering the continental shelf of Europe.
• Climate: Temperate maritime climate, with warm summers and cold winters. 
• The main islands are the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands (a collection of islands including Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark).

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Historical Importance English Channel

• Served as a natural defensive barrier for Britain.
• Played a crucial role during:
  • The Norman Conquest (1066)
  • The Napoleonic Wars
  • World War I
  • World War II, including the Dunkirk Evacuation (1940) and the Normandy Landings (1944).
• It is one of the world’s busiest shipping areas. It accounts for up to 20% of the global maritime trade and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea.
• Major Ports:
  • United Kingdom: Dover, Portsmouth, Southampton
  • France: Calais, Cherbourg, Le Havre
• Channel Tunnel:
  • The Channel Tunnel (also called the Chunnel) is a rail tunnel beneath the English Channel connecting Folkestone in Kent, England, with Coquelles near Calais, France. 
  • The Channel Tunnel, 50 km long, consists of three tunnels: two for rail traffic and a central tunnel for services and security.  
  • It has the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world (37.8 km).
  • It is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and the European mainland.

News: TH