The Suez Canal is a canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without the need of circumnavigating around Africa or carrying goods overland between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Prior to the canal of 1869 many canals or waterways had previously existed. Evidence of the waterways was found by Napoleon Bonaparte when he conquered Egypt.
In 1854 and 1856 Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained a concession from Said Pasha, the viceroy of Egypt, to create a company to construct a canal open to ships of all nations, according to plans created by Austrian engineer Alois Negrelli. The company was to operate the canal by leasing the relevant land, for 99 years from its opening.
The excavation took nearly 11 years using forced labor of Egyptian workers. Some sources estimate that over 30,000 people were forced to work on the canal.
The canal opened to shipping on 17 November 1869. Although numerous technical, political, and financial problems had been overcome, the final cost was more than double the original estimate.
The canal had an immediate and dramatic effect on world trade. Combined with the American transcontinental railroad completed six months earlier, it allowed the entire world to be circled in record time. It played an important role in increasing European penetration and colonization of Africa.
In 1854 and 1856 Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained a concession from Said Pasha, the viceroy of Egypt, to create a company to construct a canal open to ships of all nations, according to plans created by Austrian engineer Alois Negrelli. The company was to operate the canal by leasing the relevant land, for 99 years from its opening.
The excavation took nearly 11 years using forced labor of Egyptian workers. Some sources estimate that over 30,000 people were forced to work on the canal.
The canal opened to shipping on 17 November 1869. Although numerous technical, political, and financial problems had been overcome, the final cost was more than double the original estimate.
The canal had an immediate and dramatic effect on world trade. Combined with the American transcontinental railroad completed six months earlier, it allowed the entire world to be circled in record time. It played an important role in increasing European penetration and colonization of Africa.
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