Isthmus
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For other uses, see Isthmus (disambiguation).
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An isthmus (IPA: /ˈɪsθməs, ˈɪstməs, ˈɪsməs/, Greek: ἰσθμός, plural isthmuses or isthmi) 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).
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 America.
[edit] List of isthmuses
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
(also please put it into some order, e.g., order by "waist size", or magnitude of what it connects. 01:25, 20 May 2008 (UTC))
- Auckland isthmus, which connects the Northland Peninsula to the rest of New Zealand's North Island.
- Seattle, Washington which lies between Lake Washington and Puget Sound.
- Isthmus of Avalon, which connects the populous Avalon Peninsula to the rest of Newfoundland.
- Catalina Isthmus, which divides Santa Catalina Island, California into a large eastern portion and a smaller western portion.
- Isthmus of Corinth, which connects the Peloponnese peninsula to the rest of Greece.
- Isthmus near Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia
- Isthmus of Chignecto, which connects the Nova Scotia peninsula to the rest of Canada.
- Isthmus of Gibraltar, which joins Gibraltar to mainland Spain.
- Karelian Isthmus between Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga.
- Isthmus of Kra, which joins the Malay Peninsula with mainland Asia.
- Isthmus of Kushimoto in Japan - connects Honshū with Cape Shiono-Misaki.
- La Coupée isthmus in Sark.
- Madison Isthmus, between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.
- Mavis Grind isthmus in Shetland, UK.
- Isthmus of Médanos - links Venezuela to Médanos.
- Neck in Bruny Island, Tasmania - connects North and South Bruny.
- Ofqui Isthmus, Aisén Region, Chile.
- Isthmus of Panama - connects North America and South America. The Panama canal goes through this isthmus.
- Isthmus of Perekop between Crimea and Ukraine proper.
- Isthmus of Potidea, connecting the Kassandra peninsula with the mainland of Greece.
- Quezon Province, in Luzon, Philippines - connecting Bicol peninsula with mainland Luzon.
- Adam's Bridge, between India and Sri Lanka (a former Isthmus).
- Isthmus of Suez - the isthmus between North Africa and Southwest Asia, in Egypt where the Suez Canal is located.
- Isthmus of Summerside, connecting the Western section of Prince Edward Island, Canada with the remainder of the island.
- Isthmus of Tehuantepec - connects Yucatan and Central America with the rest of Mexico.
- Isthmus of Nahant connecting Nahant, Massachusetts to Massachusetts.
- Forth-Clyde isthmus in Scotland
- Tyne-Solway Isthmus in Scotland, along the Stanegate in roman times main forts at Corbridge and Carlisle
