isthmus

isthmus, narrow neck of land connecting two larger land areas. Since it commands the only land route between two large areas and is on two seas, an isthmus has great strategical and commercial importance and is a favorable situation for a city. In modern times many isthmuses have been cut through by canals to eliminate the necessity of land transport. The most important isthmuses are the Isthmus of Panama, connecting Central and South America, and the Isthmus of Suez, joining Asia and Africa. Canals were dug through both of these. The Isthmus of Corinth between the Morea peninsula and central Greece also has a canal.

An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas. Many canals are built on isthmi where it is particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation. Of note is the Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and drastically reduces the naval travel time between the east and west coasts of the Americas.

List of examples

In North America

West Coast

• Catalina Isthmus, which divides Santa Catalina Island, California into a large eastern portion and a smaller western portion.
• Isthmus of Olympia, Washington, North America. Located at the base of Puget Sound, this isthmus connects West Olympia to East Olympia, and creates a separation between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound.
• Seattle, Washington which lies between Lake Washington and Puget Sound.

East Coast

• Isthmus of Avalon, which connects the populous Avalon Peninsula to the rest of Newfoundland.
• Isthmus of Chignecto, which connects the Nova Scotia peninsula to the rest of Canada.
• Isthmus of Nahant connecting Nahant, Massachusetts to Massachusetts.
• Isthmus of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, which connects the island of Miquelon and Langlade Island
• Isthmus of Summerside, connecting the Western section of Prince Edward Island, Canada with the remainder of the island.
• Madison Isthmus, between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.

Central America

• Isthmus of Panama - connects North America and South America. The Panama canal goes through this isthmus.
• Isthmus of Tehuantepec - connects Yucatan and Central America with the rest of Mexico.

In Australia

• Isthmus near Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia
• Auckland isthmus, which connects the Northland Peninsula to the rest of New Zealand's North Island.

In Europe

North Coast

• Karelian Isthmus between Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, which connects Russia to Finland.

Mediterranean Sea

• Isthmus of Bolbs, which joins Gibraltar to mainland Spain.
• Isthmus of Corinth, which connects the Peloponnese peninsula to the rest of Greece.
• Isthmus of Potidea, connecting the Kassandra peninsula with the mainland of Greece.

Dead Sea

• Isthmus of Perekop between Crimea and Ukraine proper.

Red Sea

• Isthmus of Suez - the isthmus between North Africa and Israeli / Palestinian Penninsula, in Egypt where the Suez Canal is located.

English Channel

• Mavis Grind isthmus in Shetland, UK.
• La Coupée isthmus in Sark.
• Forth-Clyde isthmus in Scotland

Northern England

• Tyne-Solway Isthmus in England, along the Stanegate in Roman times main forts at Corbridge and Carlisle

Atlantic Ocean

• Isthmus of Westfjords peninsula, which connects to the mainland of Iceland.

In Asia

• Isthmus of Kra, which joins the Malay Peninsula with mainland Asia.
• Isthmus of Kushimoto in Japan - connects Honshū with Cape Shiono-Misaki.

South East Asia

• Adam's Bridge, between India and Sri Lanka (a former Isthmus).
• Quezon Province, in Luzon, Philippines - connecting Bicol peninsula with mainland Luzon.

In South America

• Isthmus of Médanos - links Venezuela to Médanos.
• Ofqui Isthmus, Aisén Region, Chile.

In Africa

• Neck in Bruny Island, Tasmania - connects North and South Bruny.

See also

• Geography
• Mainland
• Tombolo
• Peninsula
• Land bridge