The Suez Canal ( ) is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez, and separates the African continent from Asia. After 10 years of construction, it was officially opened on November 17, 1869. The canal allows ships to travel between Europe and South Asia without navigating around Africa, thereby reducing the sea voyage distance by about . It extends from the northern terminus of Port Said to the southern terminus of Port Tewfik at the city of Suez. Its length is , including its northern and southern access channels. In 2012, 17,225 vessels traversed the canal (47 per day).