Isthmus

For other uses, see Isthmus (disambiguation).

The Isthmus of Panama connects North and South America.

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).

Isthmi are naturally good places to build canals. The Panama Canal, for instance, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, drastically reduces the naval travel time between the east and west coasts of America.

List of isthmuses

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Auckland isthmus, which connects the Northland Peninsula to the rest of New Zealand\'s North Island.
• Isthmus of Avalon, which connects the populous Avalon Peninsula to the rest of Newfoundland.
• Isthmus of Corinth, which connects the Peloponnese peninsula to the rest of Greece.
• 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.
• 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.
• Isthumus of Nahant connecting Nahant, Massachusetts to Massachusetts.

See also

• Geography
• Mainland
• Tombolo
• Peninsula
• Land bridge

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