Previous Year Question
Through which of the following straits does a tunnel connect the United Kingdom and France?
Davis Strait
Denmark Strait
Strait of Dover
Strait of Gibraltar
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
The United Kingdom and France are connected by the Channel Tunnel. It passes beneath the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel, and connects Folkestone in Britain with Coquelles near Calais in France.
The Channel Tunnel is approximately 50.5 km long, of which about 37.9 km lies beneath the sea. Construction began in the late 1980s, and the tunnel was opened for traffic in 1994.
The Strait of Dover is the narrowest part of the English Channel. At its narrowest point, Britain and continental Europe are separated by only about 33 km. It is also an important maritime passage connecting the North Sea with the English Channel and, further west, the Atlantic Ocean.
The tunnel consists of two main railway tunnels with a service tunnel between them. It carries passenger trains, freight trains and shuttle services transporting road vehicles.