Isthmus

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The Isthmus of Panama connects North and South America.

An isthmus (from Greek ισθμός, isthmos; plural isthmuses or isthmi; pronounced /ˈɪs.mʌs/) is a narrow strip of land that is bordered on two sides by water and connects two larger land masses. It is the inverse of a strait (which lies between two land masses and connects two larger bodies of water).

Isthmuses are a naturally good place to build canals. The Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, drastically reduces the naval travel time between the east and west coasts of the Americas. The Suez Canal is another example - it allows ship transportation between Europe and Asia without the circumnavigation of Africa.

List of isthmuses

• the Isthmus of Panama - the most famous isthmus. Connects North America and South America.
• the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece - the first isthmus to bear that name
• the Isthmus of Dubrovnik - today's Stradun, (main center street), which connected Laus and Dub into a single city unit
• the Isthmus of Suez - the isthmus between North Africa and Southwest Asia, in Egypt where the Suez Canal is located
• the Isthmus of Kra, which joins the Malay Peninsula with mainland Asia
• the Isthmus of Avalon in Canada - separates the main island of Newfoundland from the Avalon Peninsula (where the capital, St. John's, is located)
• the Isthmus of Chignecto - connects the mainland portion of Nova Scotia with North America
• the Isthmus of Tehuantepec - connects Yucatan and Central America with the rest of Mexico
• the Isthmus of Perekop between Crimea and Ukraine proper
• the Karelian Isthmus between Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga
• the Madison Isthmus, between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin
• the Auckland Isthmus, in Auckland, New Zealand
• Quezon Province, in Luzon, Philippines - connecting Bicol peninsula with mainland Luzon
• the Isthmus of Kushimoto in Japan - connects Honshu with Cape Shiono-Misaki
• the Neck in Bruny Island, Tasmania - connects North and South Bruny
• the Mavis Grind isthmus in Shetland, UK
• the La Coupée isthmus in Sark

See also

• Geography
• Mainland
• Tombolo
• Peninsula
• Land bridge

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