Suez canal is an artificial waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to Gulf of Suez, and then to the Red Sea.
The canal is 163 km long, and has a width is a minimum of 60 meters. The canal is cutting through three lakes, the Lake Manzala, in the north from which it is protected with a bedding on the western side, the Lake Timsah in the middle, and the Bitter Lakes further south. The Bitter Lakes makes up almost 30 km of the total length. Along most of the length, there is only one lane for traffic available, though there are a handful of passing bays.
The canal is extensively used by modern ships, as it is the fastest crossing from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. Taxes paid by the vessels represent an important source of income for the Egyptian government.