The opening of the 
Suez Canal (click for geospatial location) in 1869 established a far shorter and more efficient route for trade and traffic between Europe and Asia. It also gave new strategic importance to Egypt and East Africa, making knowledge and control of the interior a matter of greater urgency for various states. Image: NASA image of the Suez Canal, taken by MISR satellite on January 30, 2001. This image is in the public domain because it was created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that “NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted.”
BRANCH is an open-access publication 