Isthmus

Isthmus

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


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  • Isthmus — Isth mus (?; 277), n.; pl. {Isthmuses}. [L. isthmus, Gr. isqmo s a neck, a neck of land between two seas, an isthmus, especially the Isthmus of Corinth; prob. from the root of ie nai to go; cf. Icel. ei[eth] isthmus. See {Issue}.] (Geog.) A neck… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • isthmus — [is′məs] n. pl. isthmuses or isthmi [is′mī΄] [L < Gr isthmos, a neck, narrow passage, isthmus] 1. a narrow strip of land having water at each side and connecting two larger bodies of land 2. Anat. a) a narrow strip of tissue connecting two… …   English World dictionary

  • Isthmus — bezeichnet: Isthmus (Geographie), Landengen Isthmus (Anatomie), Engstellen von Organen Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Isthmus [2] — Isthmus, 1) (Anat.), verengte Stelle in einem Körpertheile, wie I. urethrae, der häutige, etwas verengte Theil der Harnröhre; 2) bes. der Rachen. Daher Istmorrhagie, Blutung aus dem hinteren Theil der Mundhöhle. Isthmotyphus, übler Ausgang der… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Isthmus [1] — Isthmus (v. gr.), 1) Erdzunge, Erdenge, Landenge; 2) bes. die den Peloponnes mit Hellas verbindende Erdenge. Durchschnitt 1 geogr. Meile, die engste Stelle wurde durch die an der Ostküste liegende Bucht Schönus gebildet. Vergebens waren die… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • ISTHMUS — tractusest terrae angustus, per quem ex lata terrae parte in aliam talem venitur: Hic multiplex. 1. Peloponnesi, qui et Corinthiacus, quo Peloponnesus reliquae Graeciae connectitur, 40. stad. inter sinum Corinth. ad Occas. et Saronicum ad Ort.… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • isthmus — 1550s, from L. isthmus, from Gk. isthmos narrow passage, narrow neck of land, especially that of Corinth, of unknown origin, perhaps from eimi to go + suffix thmo (Cf. ithma a step, movement ) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Isthmus [1] — Isthmus (griech. Isthmos), Landenge, insbes. die von Korinth, zwischen dem Korinthischen und Saronischen Meerbusen, die den Peloponnes mit dem eigentlichen Hellas verbindet. Sie besteht aus einem 79 m hohen Landrücken und ist an der schmälsten… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Isthmus [2] — Isthmus, ägypt. Gebiet an beiden Seiten des Kanals von Suez, zwischen Mittelmeer und Rotem Meer, bildet das Gouvernorat des Kanals, 6238 qkm mit (1897) 50,179 Einw., davon 13,450 Ausländer, grenzt im S. an das Gouvernorat Suez und umschließt die… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Isthmus — (grch.), Landenge, bes. die Landenge von Korinth [Karte: Balkanhalbinsel I, 5], wo im Altertum beim Heiligtum des Poseidon aller zwei Jahre die Isthmischen Spiele (gymnastische und musische Wettkämpfe) stattfanden. (S. auch Halbinsel.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Isthmus — Isthmus, siehe Korinth …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

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