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Bayeux Tapestry -

The Bayeux Tapestry, which was created in the 11th century, portrays the events that took place before the Norman conquest of England by William, the Duke of Normandy. This conquest stands out as one of the rare instances where Great Britain was successfully invaded via the Channel. Pictured is a detail from the tapestry showing the arrival of ships in England, with men and horses disembarking. The Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Bayeux, Normandy, houses the tapestry, where it remains on permanent exhibition.

© Public Domain 

World's busiest shipping lanes -

The English Channel is a bustling route for ships traveling between the UK, Europe, the North Sea, and the Atlantic. It is the busiest seaway globally, with more than 500 ships using it daily. The image showcases an Automatic Identification System (AIS) display that displays the live traffic in the Channel. Note that only ships equipped with AIS are visible on the display, meaning fishing boats, pleasure craft, inland navigation vessels, and those weighing less than 300 tonnes are not included.

© Public Domain 

Channel coastline resorts -

This is a photo of Osborne House, which was used as Queen Victoria's summer residence on the Isle of Wight, the biggest island in the Channel. From the end of the 18th century onwards, towns and villages along the English Channel in England experienced significant growth, becoming popular seaside destinations. These coastal areas flourished, largely due to their connection to the royal family and the upper classes.

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First person to swim the English Channel -

Captain Matthew Webb, a native of Dawley in Shropshire, England, achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first person to successfully swim across the English Channel on August 24, 1875. After spending approximately 22 hours in the water, he reached land near Calais.

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Tunnel vision -

In the year 1856, Aimé Thomé de Gamond, a French engineer, put forth a suggestion to Napoleon III for a railway tunnel under the Channel. The proposed tunnel would stretch from Cap Gris-Nez to Eastwater Point, with a port-air shaft facility located in the middle on the Varne sandbank. It was considered an outlandish notion at the time. 

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Channel Tunnel -

Not anymore! Established in 1994, the Channel Tunnel serves as the sole connection between Great Britain and mainland Europe. Spanning 50.5 km (31.4 mi), it boasts the lengthiest underwater section among all tunnels globally (37.8 km, or 23.5 miles). Submerged beneath the surface are three tunnels, two for trains and a smaller one intended for emergency purposes.

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Channel landmark -

Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy is a highly visited and easily recognizable landmark situated on the English Channel.

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First flight over the English Channel -

French aviator Louis Blériot (1872–1936) achieved worldwide fame on July 25, 1909, by successfully completing the first airplane flight across the English Channel. Accompanied by his Blériot XI monoplane, he accomplished this feat in a time of 36 minutes and 30 seconds.

© Public Domain 

Omaha Beach -

"Omaha" is the code name for a specific area along the Normandy coast, spanning 8 kilometers (5 miles). On June 6, 1944, American troops landed on this section as part of the Allied invasion to liberate France from German occupation. Omaha, along with four other beaches, was chosen for the landing and witnessed intense and deadly combat.

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Dunkirk evacuation -

From May 26 to June 4, 1940, a large fleet of more than 800 ships crossed the Channel in a mission called "Operation Dynamo" to rescue 338,226 trapped British Expeditionary Force soldiers at Dunkirk. This photo shows those soldiers being evacuated onto a destroyer upon arrival at Dover.

© Public Domain 

German occupation of the Channel Islands -

During World War II, the Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces) occupied the Channel Islands, which stood as the sole territory of the British Empire to be seized.

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Jurassic Coast -

The Jurassic Coast, situated on the coast of southern England along the English Channel, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It encompasses a vast timeline of 185 million years of geological history, housing a diverse range of fossil groups, such as crustaceans, insects, mollusks, echinoderms, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and a small number of mammals.

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Disappearance of Glenn Miller -

On December 15, 1944, Glenn Miller, an American big band leader and trombonist, went missing when the plane he was traveling in disappeared over the English Channel while on its way to Paris. His body was never found.

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Widest point -

The widest part of the Channel, measuring 240 km (150 mi), stretches between Lyme Bay and the Gulf of Saint-Malo.

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Narrowest point -

The Strait of Dover can be seen from Cap Gris-Nez in France. On a clear day, the white cliffs of Dover in England are visible from France. This strait is the narrowest part of the seaway, measuring 34 km (21 mi).

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Chausey -

Chausey consists of a collection of small islands, islets, and rocks located near the coast of Normandy. Geographically, Chausey is considered part of the Channel Islands. However, due to its French jurisdiction, it is rarely associated with the other Channel Islands, which are UK Crown dependencies.

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La Manche -

Prior to the 18th century, the English Channel lacked an official name in English. It was commonly referred to as the "Narrow Sea." Nevertheless, the French term, "la Manche," has been employed since the 17th century, potentially due to the Channel's sleeve-like shape.

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The most hazardous geological feature -

The Goodwin Sands is a dangerous sandbank located at the southern end of the North Sea, near the Strait of Dover's major shipping lanes. Spanning 16 kilometers (10 miles), it has been responsible for the wrecks of numerous vessels throughout history. The ever-changing tides and currents of the Channel continuously shift the sands, making the Goodwin Sands the most treacherous geological feature in this area.

© Public Domain 

Île Vierge -

Île Vierge is an islet situated 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the north-west coast of Brittany. This islet is significant as it marks the south-western boundary of the English Channel. Constructed in 1845, Île Vierge also houses the tallest stone lighthouse in Europe. It stands 33 m (108 ft) taller than its early 20th-century counterpart, as depicted here.

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Deepest point in the English Channel -

Hurd's Deep, situated in the northwest of the Channel Islands, is a submerged valley that reaches a maximum depth of approximately 180 m (590 ft). This makes it the deepest part of the English Channel. The valley is clearly visible in this 1955 British Admiralty chart, running diagonally from the lower-left to the upper-right corner.

© Public Domain 

Shipping Hazards -

About 40% of water pollution incidents in the UK happen in or near the English Channel. The MSC Napoli incident occurred on January 18, 2007 when it ran aground in Lyme Bay with around 1,700 tonnes of hazardous cargo. 

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Spanish Fleet -

In 1588, the Spanish Armada, consisting of 130 ships departing from Corunna (A Coruña), encountered English fireships off the coast of Calais, resulting in their dispersion after being initially attacked in the Channel.

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Oceanic bacteria -

National Geographic reports that the English Channel harbors the complete range of oceanic bacteria found globally, or at least a significant majority of them.

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Brighton -

Brighton and Hove, located on the English shore of the Channel, holds the distinction of being the most densely populated city with a combined population of 277,103 as of 2021. 

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Le Havre -

Le Havre, located on the French shore of the Channel, is the most densely populated city in this region with a population of 172,366 as of 2023. In 2005, UNESCO recognized the central city of Le Havre as a World Heritage Site.

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Flyboard -

French inventor Franky Zapata successfully crossed the English Channel on August 4, 2019, in just 22 minutes using his invention called the Flyboard Air, a gas turbine-powered jetpack/hoverboard. A refueling stop was made at the midpoint.

© Reuters 

Channel migrants -

By mid-August 2020, over 4,000 individuals had managed to make their way across the Channel on small boats from France, with aspirations of starting a fresh chapter in the United Kingdom. The accompanying image displays a French patrol boat guiding a dinghy towards an English Border Force vessel, approximately 19.3 km (12 mi) away from the port of Dover. This particular dinghy was carrying 13 migrants and it is presumed that they were endeavoring to embark on the Channel crossing to reach England.

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Ferry services -

Currently, there are 15 ferry routes that connect the United Kingdom and Ireland to France and the Channel Islands. On June 10, 1821, the paddle steamer Rob Roy became the first passenger ferry to successfully cross the English Channel. Pictured is the port of Dover.

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The Channel by hovercraft -

On July 25, 1959, the SR.N1 hovercraft successfully completed its inaugural cross-channel flight from Calais to Dover. The flight, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of Louis Blériot's famous cross-channel flight, took just over two hours. Among the passengers on this historic journey was Christopher Cockerell, the ingenious inventor of the hovercraft. The image shows the SR.N1 arriving at Dover after the successful voyage.

See also: Weird facts you didn't know about the UK

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