English Channel
The English Channel,[a][1] also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busiest shipping area in the world.[2]
"The Channel" redirects here. For the racehorse, see English Channel (horse). For other uses, see Channel (disambiguation).
English Channel
Northwestern Europe; between the Celtic and North Seas
560 km (350 mi)
240 km (150 mi)
75,000 km2 (29,000 sq mi)
63 m (207 ft)
174 m (571 ft)
at Hurd's Deep
9,000 km3 (2,200 cu mi) (approx.)
3.4–3.5%
20 °C (68 °F)
5 °C (41 °F)
It is about 560 kilometres (300 nautical miles; 350 statute miles) long and varies in width from 240 km (130 nmi; 150 mi) at its widest to 34 km (18 nmi; 21 mi) at its narrowest in the Strait of Dover.[3] It is the smallest of the shallow seas around the continental shelf of Europe, covering an area of some 75,000 square kilometres (22,000 square nautical miles; 29,000 square miles).[4]
The Channel aided the United Kingdom in becoming a naval superpower, serving as a natural defence to halt attempted invasions, such as in the Napoleonic Wars and in the Second World War.[5]
The northern, English coast of the Channel is more populous than the southern, French coast. The major languages spoken in this region are English and French.
Economy[edit]
Shipping[edit]
The Channel has traffic on both the UK–Europe and North Sea–Atlantic routes, and is the world's busiest seaway, with over 500 ships per day.[52] Following an accident in January 1971 and a series of disastrous collisions with wreckage in February,[53] the Dover TSS,[54] the world's first radar-controlled traffic separation scheme, was set up by the International Maritime Organization. The scheme mandates that vessels travelling north must use the French side, travelling south the English side. There is a separation zone between the two lanes.[55]
In December 2002 the MV Tricolor, carrying £30m of luxury cars, sank 32 km (20 mi) northwest of Dunkirk after collision in fog with the container ship Kariba. The cargo ship Nicola ran into the wreckage the next day. There was no loss of life.[56]