Suez Canal STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SUEZ CANAL
CYPRUS
SYRIA
ISRAEL
IRAQ
Suez Canal
Port Said
JORDAN
Guit of Sur-Gulf of Aqaba
EGYPT
SAUDI ARABIA
The 103 mile long Suez Canal is located entirely
within Egypt and it is the only sea route between the
Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. With Middle
East tension, the Suez Canal is a prime target for
many nations. The canal was completed in 1869 by
French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, The British
took control of the canal and Egypt from 1882 until
1922. Egypt nationalized the canal in 1956. During
the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel seized control of the
Sinai Desert directly east of the canal but
relinquished control in exchange for peace.
This passageway accounted for about 9 percent of
the world's maritime oil trade in 2015 or 5.5 million
b/d.
After viewing the map and reading about The Suez Canal:
5. Which countries hold the strait within their Territorial Waters?
• Egypt
6. What is at stake if these countries do not uphold the laws established in UNCLOS?