English Channel

The English Channel, also for some time known as the British Sea (French: La Manche, "the sleeve") is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is about 563 km (350 mi) long and at its widest is 240 km (150 mi). The Strait of Dover ("Pas de Calais" to the French) is the narrowest part of the channel, being only 34 km (21 mi) from Dover to Cap Gris-Nez, and is located at the eastern end of the English Channel, where it meets the North Sea.

Historical significance

The Channel has been a key natural defence for Britain, a fact that is referred to in William Shakespeare's play Richard II:

Related Topics:
William Shakespeare - Richard II

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:This precious stone set in the silver sea,

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:Which serves it in the office of a wall

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:Or as a moat defensive to a house,

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:Against the envy of less happier lands

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:  – Richard II. Act 2, Scene 1.

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It has allowed Britain to intervene but rarely be dangerously threatened in European conflicts. Without the gap Napoleon and Hitler would possibly have been able to overcome the powerful enemy that the British state represented.

Related Topics:
Napoleon - Hitler

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Nevertheless, the Channel has been the scene of many invasions (or attempted invasions) including the Norman Conquest in 1066, the Spanish Armada in 1588, and the WWII Normandy landings in 1944.

Related Topics:
Norman Conquest - 1066 - Spanish Armada - 1588 - WWII Normandy landings - 1944

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The Channel has been the scene of many naval battles, including the Battle of Portland (1653), the Battle of La Hougue (1692) and the engagement between USS Kearsarge and CSS Alabama (1864).

Related Topics:
Naval battles - Battle of Portland - 1653 - Battle of La Hougue - 1692 - USS Kearsarge - CSS Alabama - 1864

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However, at times the Channel has served as a link joining shared cultures and political structures, from pre-Roman Celtic society, the Roman imperial culture, and the foundation of Brittany by settlers from Great Britain, to the Anglo-Norman state.

Related Topics:
Celt - Roman imperial culture - Brittany - Anglo-Norman

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Cross-Channel trade has been a significant factor for societies on both sides of the Channel from prehistoric times, and a number of important ports have developed in England and in France:

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• Dover
• Calais
• Dieppe, France
• Southampton
• Portsmouth
• Le Havre
• Cherbourg-Octeville

Important ferry routes are

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• Dover-Calais
• Newhaven-Dieppe
• Portsmouth-Caen (Ouistreham)
• Portsmouth-Cherbourg
• Portsmouth-Le Havre
• Poole-Saint Malo
• Weymouth-Saint Malo
• Plymouth-Roscoff

Adding to the high level of cross-Channel traffic is the very significant traffic passing through the Channel, linking the economies of northern Europe with the rest of the world. Combined, this maritime traffic makes the Channel one of the busiest seaways in the world, accounting for a large share of global maritime trade (some sources place this at up to one quarter).

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The coastal resorts of the Channel, such as Brighton and Deauville, inaugurated an era of aristocratic tourism in the early 19th century which developed into the democratic seaside tourism that has shaped resorts around the world.

Related Topics:
Brighton - Deauville - 19th century

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