The ten longest canals on Earth, ranked by length — from China's 1,776 km Grand Canal, the longest canal ever built, to the 114 km Rhine-Main-Danube Canal.
Updated August 11, 202610 ranked5 sources
Quick answer: 1. Grand Canal (China), 2. Qaraqum Canal, 3. Erie Canal, 4. Suez Canal, 5. Göta Canal, 6. Grand Canal (France), 7. Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, 8. Volga–Don Canal, 9. Kiel Canal, 10. Panama Canal.
Canals are human-made waterways built for navigation, irrigation, or water supply, and the longest of them are among the most ambitious engineering projects in history. The Grand Canal of China — at 1,776 km — is by far the longest canal in the world and one of the greatest feats of pre-industrial engineering, dating back more than 2,500 years.
This list ranks the ten longest canals in the world by total length. It includes both navigation canals (built to move ships and barges) and large irrigation canals, following the widely cited compilation in the Encyclopaedia Britannica and standard geography references. Unlike the related list of longest ship canals, this ranking includes canal systems built for inland barge traffic and irrigation, which is why China's Grand Canal leads.
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Length (km)
Length (km)
Grand Canal (China)
1776 km
Qaraqum Canal
1375 km
Erie Canal
584 km
Suez Canal
193.3 km
Göta Canal
190 km
Grand Canal (France)
180 km
Rhine–Main–Danube Canal
171 km
Volga–Don Canal
101 km
Kiel Canal
98 km
Panama Canal
82 km
The ranking
1
Grand Canal (China)
The Grand Canal (Da Yunhe) is the longest canal in the world at 1,776 km, connecting Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south. Construction began in the 5th century BC and reached its full extent under the Sui dynasty (581–618 AD). The canal linked the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, enabling grain transport from the fertile south to the imperial capitals of the north. It remains the longest artificial waterway ever built and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
Country: ChinaConnects: Beijing ↔ HangzhouPrimary use: Navigation (barge traffic)Completed:Notable feature: World Heritage Site (2014)
2
Qaraqum Canal
The Qaraqum (Karakum) Canal is approximately 1,375 km long, making it the second-longest canal in the world and the longest irrigation canal. It carries water from the Amu Darya river across the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, supplying water to Ashgabat and irrigating vast cotton fields. Construction began in 1954 and the canal has been extended over successive decades. It is considered one of the most controversial water projects of the Soviet era, diverting a large share of the Amu Darya's flow away from the Aral Sea.
Country: TurkmenistanConnects:Primary use: Irrigation & water supplyCompleted: 1954–present (extended in phases)Notable feature: Longest irrigation canal in the world
3
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal runs 584 km across New York State, connecting the Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo. Completed in 1825, it was the engineering marvel of its age and transformed the US economy by providing the first reliable water route from the Atlantic coast to the Great Lakes. The canal made New York City the nation's primary port and triggered the rapid settlement of the Midwest. It was enlarged several times and remains in use today as part of the New York State Canal System.
Country: United StatesConnects: Hudson River ↔ Lake EriePrimary use: NavigationCompleted: 1825Notable feature: Transformed New York into America's premier port
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4
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal is 193.3 km long, connecting the Mediterranean Sea at Port Said to the Red Sea at Suez, Egypt. Opened in 1869, it is the world's longest sea-level canal with no locks, and it eliminated the 7,000 km voyage around Africa for ships traveling between Europe and Asia. The canal handles roughly 12% of global trade, with an expansion completed in 2015 adding a parallel channel to allow two-way traffic. Its strategic importance has made it central to world politics for over 150 years.
Country: EgyptConnects: Mediterranean Sea ↔ Red SeaPrimary use: Ship navigationCompleted: 1869Notable feature: Handles ~12% of global trade
5
Göta Canal
The Göta Canal is approximately 190 km long across southern Sweden, connecting the Baltic Sea at Mem to the Kattegat (North Sea) at Gothenburg. Built between 1810 and 1832, it was a massive engineering project that employed thousands of soldiers. The canal's route crosses the great lakes of Vänern and Vättern, with 58 locks along its length. Today the Göta Canal is primarily used by recreational boats and is known as one of Sweden's most popular tourist attractions, with the 'Sweden's Blue Ribbon' nickname.
The Canal du Midi and its extensions in southern France form a canal network of roughly 180 km between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The Canal du Midi proper runs 240 km from Toulouse to the Mediterranean at Sète, but the commonly cited combined figure for the Midi–Garonne–Gironde waterway is about 180 km of artificial canal between the Garonne and the Mediterranean. Built in the 17th century under Pierre-Paul Riquet, it was one of the greatest engineering achievements of its era, with 63 locks and the Fonserannes staircase, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Country: FranceConnects: Garonne River ↔ Mediterranean SeaPrimary use: NavigationCompleted: 1681Notable feature: World Heritage Site (1996)
7
Rhine–Main–Danube Canal
The Rhine–Main–Danube Canal is a 171 km canalized waterway connecting the Main River (a Rhine tributary) at Bamberg to the Danube at Kelheim in Bavaria, Germany. The main summit section of the canal is 114 km, but the complete canalized route spans 171 km. Completed in 1992, it created a continuous 3,500 km navigable waterway from the North Sea to the Black Sea. The canal's summit level, at 406 metres above sea level, is the highest point of any European navigation canal, with 16 locks lifting vessels over the continental divide.
Country: GermanyConnects: Main River ↔ Danube RiverPrimary use: NavigationCompleted: 1992Notable feature: 16 locks
8
Volga–Don Canal
The Volga–Don Shipping Canal is 101 km long, connecting the Volga River at Volgograd to the Don River near Kalach-na-Donu in Russia, thereby linking the Caspian Sea to the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Completed in 1952, the canal has 13 locks and was built largely by prisoners and wartime soldiers. It provides the final link in a vast inland waterway system that connects the Baltic, White, Caspian, Azov, and Black Seas — often called Russia's 'Five Seas' waterway.
Country: RussiaConnects: Volga River ↔ Don RiverPrimary use: NavigationCompleted: 1952Notable feature: 13 locks
9
Kiel Canal
The Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee-Kanal) is 98 km long, connecting the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel in northern Germany. Opened in 1895 and widened in 1914, it is the world's busiest artificial waterway by vessel traffic, with roughly 30,000 transits per year. The canal saves ships about 460 km compared to sailing around the Jutland Peninsula, and it is maintained at a depth that can accommodate most cargo vessels, making it a vital shortcut in northern European shipping.
The Panama Canal is 82 km long, crossing the Isthmus of Panama to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Opened in 1914 and expanded in 2016 with a third set of locks, it is one of the most important trade routes in the world. A lock-based canal, it lifts ships 26 metres above sea level to cross the continental divide through the man-made Gatún Lake. The canal shortens the sea voyage between the US East and West Coasts by roughly 13,000 km and handles over 13,000 transits per year.
Country: PanamaConnects: Atlantic Ocean ↔ Pacific OceanPrimary use: Ship navigationCompleted: 1914 (expanded 2016)Notable feature: Shortens US East-West voyage by ~13,000 km
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Full comparison
#
Name
Country
Connects
Primary use
Completed
Notable feature
1
Grand Canal (China)
China
Beijing ↔ Hangzhou
Navigation (barge traffic)
World Heritage Site (2014)
2
Qaraqum Canal
Turkmenistan
Irrigation & water supply
1954–present (extended in phases)
Longest irrigation canal in the world
3
Erie Canal
United States
Hudson River ↔ Lake Erie
Navigation
1825
Transformed New York into America's premier port
4
Suez Canal
Egypt
Mediterranean Sea ↔ Red Sea
Ship navigation
1869
Handles ~12% of global trade
5
Göta Canal
Sweden
Baltic Sea ↔ Kattegat
Navigation (recreational)
1832
58 locks
6
Grand Canal (France)
France
Garonne River ↔ Mediterranean Sea
Navigation
1681
World Heritage Site (1996)
7
Rhine–Main–Danube Canal
Germany
Main River ↔ Danube River
Navigation
1992
16 locks
8
Volga–Don Canal
Russia
Volga River ↔ Don River
Navigation
1952
13 locks
9
Kiel Canal
Germany
North Sea ↔ Baltic Sea
Ship navigation
1895
Busiest artificial waterway (~30,000 transits/yr)
10
Panama Canal
Panama
Atlantic Ocean ↔ Pacific Ocean
Ship navigation
1914 (expanded 2016)
Shortens US East-West voyage by ~13,000 km
How we ranked this
Canals are ranked by total length in kilometres. Lengths are based on official canal authority publications, Encyclopaedia Britannica, and engineering reference works. Both navigation canals and major irrigation canals are included, as long as they are continuous constructed waterways rather than canalized river sections. Where a canal system has been extended over centuries (e.g., the Grand Canal), the total length of the modern system is used. Rank 1 is the longest.
FAQ
What is the longest canal in the world?
The Grand Canal of China is the longest canal in the world at 1,776 km, connecting Beijing to Hangzhou. Construction began in the 5th century BC and it remains the longest artificial waterway ever built.
What is the difference between a ship canal and a barge canal?
A ship canal is designed for ocean-going vessels, typically with a minimum depth of 8–15 metres. A barge canal is shallower and narrower, built for river barges and small craft. The Suez and Panama Canals are ship canals; the Grand Canal of China and the Erie Canal are barge canals.
Why is the Suez Canal so important?
The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas, eliminating the 7,000 km voyage around Africa for ships traveling between Europe and Asia. It handles roughly 12% of global trade, making it one of the most strategically important waterways in the world.