| Suez Canal | |
| —n | |
| a sea-level canal in NE Egypt, crossing the Isthmus of Suez and linking the Mediterranean with the Red Sea: built (1854--69) by de Lesseps with French and Egyptian capital; nationalized in 1956 by the Egyptians. Length: 163 km (101 miles) | |
A canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas, completed in 1869 and long controlled by Great Britain. The opera A&idie;da by Giuseppe Verdi was written to honor the opening of the canal. (See Suez Canal crisis.)