List of isthmuses

The sandy isthmus or tombolo connecting North and South Bruny Island in Tasmania, Australia

An isthmus (pronunciation: /ˈɪsθməs/ or /ˈɪsməs/; plural: isthmuses; from Ancient Greek: ἰσθμός isthmos "neck") is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water that otherwise separates them.^[1] A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar.

Canals are often built across isthmuses, where they may be a particularly advantageous short cut for marine transport. The Panama Canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, cutting across the western side of an isthmus formed by the Sinai Peninsula. An example in the United Kingdom is the Crinan Canal, which crosses the isthmus between Loch Crinan and Loch Gilp, which connects the Kintyre peninsula with the rest of Scotland.

A strait is the sea counterpart of isthmus.

Africa

Egypt

• Isthmus of Mansheya which developed around the man-made Heptastadion connecting the island of Pharos to mainland Alexandria.

Americas

Argentina

• Istmo Carlos Ameghino, Province of Chubut
• Quetrihué Isthmus of Quetrihué Peninsula in Nahuel Huapi Lake

Brazil

• Isthmus at Nova Brasilia, Mel Island, Paraná^[2]

British Overseas Territories

• Isthmus of East Falkland

Canada

• Isthmus of Avalon
• Isthmus of Chignecto
• Sechelt Isthmus

Central America

The Isthmus of Panama

• Isthmus of Panama
• Isthmus of Rivas, Nicaragua

Chile

• Isthmus of Brunswick Peninsula
• Isthmus of Muñoz Gamero Peninsula
• Ofqui Isthmus, Aisén Region

French Overseas Collectivity

• Isthmus of La Dune

Mexico

• Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico

United States

• Isthmus of Catalina Island
• Isthmus near Fidalgo Island
• Madison Isthmus
• Seattle, Washington
• Point Peninsula, New York

Venezuela

• Médanos Isthmus – links mainland Venezuela to Paraguaná

Asia

Metro Manila

The Suez Canal goes across the western side of the Sinai Peninsula

• The Caucasus region connecting Europe to Asia between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea is sometimes considered an isthmus.^[3]
• The Isthmus of Kra connecting Malay Peninsula with the mainland of Asia located in southern Thailand.
• The Sinai Peninsula forms the Isthmus of Suez between the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea and also forms the Asian border area towards Africa.
• The central area of Kushimoto town in the Wakayama prefecture of Japan is located on a narrow isthmus, surrounded on both sides by the Pacific Ocean.
• Metro Manila in the Philippines is situated on an isthmus.
• The area around Jimbaran and the Denpasar airport connects the Nusa Dua peninsula with the main part of Bali in Indonesia.
• Isthmus of Korea between Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea.^[4]

Europe

Black Sea

• Isthmus of Perekop between Crimea and Ukraine

Iceland

• Isthmus of Westfjords peninsula, which connects to the mainland of Iceland

Ireland

• Cape Clear Island
• Sutton, Dublin

Mediterranean Sea

• Isthmus of Catanzaro, the narrowest part of Italy
• Isthmus of Corinth, which connects the Peloponnese peninsula to the rest of Greece
• Isthmus of Gibraltar
• Isthmus of Potidea, connecting the Kassandra peninsula with the mainland of Greece
• isthmus of Ierapetra, connects the north coast to south coast of the island and is the narrowest part of Crete.

Russia

• Karelian Isthmus between Lake Ladoga and the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland)
• Isthmus of Perekop between Black Sea and Sea of Azov, connecting Crimea Peninsula to the mainland
• Poyasok Isthmus between Sea of Okhotsk and Sea of Japan
• Isthmus of Ak-Monay between Black Sea and Sea of Azov, connecting Kerch Peninsula to the mainland of Crimea
• Olonets Isthmus between Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga
• Onega Isthmus between Lake Onega and the White Sea (Onega Bay)
• Chivyrkuy Isthmus between Chivyrkuy Bay and Barguzin Bay of the Lake Baikal, connecting Svyatoy Nos Peninsula to the mainland
• Bolshoy Volok Isthmus between Malaya Volokovaya Bay and Motovsky Gulf, connecting Sredny Peninsula to the mainland
• Maly Volok Isthmus between Bolshaya Volokovaya Bay and Motovsky Gulf, connecting Rybachy Peninsula to Sredny Peninsula

United Kingdom and British islands

• Isle of Portland
• Bardsey Island
• La Coupée isthmus in Sark, Channel Islands
• Forth-Clyde isthmus in Scotland
• The isthmus connecting Langness Peninsula, Isle of Man, to the rest of the island
• Llandudno
• Mavis Grind isthmus in Shetland
• The isthmus connecting the Isle of Portland to the mainland
• Rhins of Galloway isthmus in Wigtownshire (where Stranraer is situated), Scotland
• Tarbert is the name of several places at isthmuses in Scotland and Ireland. The translation from Old Irish is isthmus or portage-place ("across carry").
• The Isthmus connecting The outskirts of Stornoway, Isle of Lewis to Point Peninsula, Scotland
• Hugh Town is located on an isthmus connecting the Hugh to the remainder of St Mary's, the largest of the Isles of Scilly
• Gugh, linked by a tombolo to St Agnes, both being inhabited islands of the Isles of Scilly
• Burgh Island

Oceania

Australia

• Eaglehawk Neck near Port Arthur, Tasmania
• The Neck in Bruny Island, Tasmania connecting North and South Bruny
• Yanakie Isthmus, connects Wilsons Promontory to mainland Victoria
• Barrenjoey Headland, New South Wales.
• Tuross Head, New South Wales on the NSW South Coast.

New Zealand

• Auckland isthmus between Northland Peninsula and the rest of New Zealand's North Island^[5]
• Rongotai isthmus, location of Wellington International Airport

See also

• Geography
• Land bridge

Notes

1. "Isthmus". Britannica.com. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
2. "Geology of Paraná: Ilha do Mel" (PDF). Mineropar: Serviço Geológico de Paraná. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
3. Кавказский перешеек // Энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона : в 86 т. (82 т. и 4 доп.). — СПб., 1890—1907.
4. Корейский перешеек // Большая советская энциклопедия : [в 30 т.] / гл. ред. А. М. Прохоров. — 3-е изд. — М. : Советская энциклопедия, 1969—1978.
5. "Coast to Coast Walkway". Auckland Council. Retrieved 19 December 2012.