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RAS question

Arrange the following shipping canals/routes in the correct chronological order of their opening/establishment (earliest first): 1. Suez Canal 2. Panama Canal 3. Kiel Canal (Germany) 4. Corinth Canal (Greece)

Correct answer: (A) 1 → 4 → 3 → 2.

The chronological order of opening is Suez Canal in 1869, Corinth Canal in 1893, Kiel Canal in 1895, and Panama Canal in 1914.

  1. (A)

    1 → 4 → 3 → 2

  2. (B)

    4 → 1 → 3 → 2

  3. (C)

    1 → 3 → 4 → 2

  4. (D)

    2 → 1 → 4 → 3

Explanation

The sequence works because Suez is the clear starting point: the cited Britannica page says the canal was opened to navigation on 17 November 1869, making it earlier than the other three. The Corinth Canal follows, as Britannica records that work began in 1882 and it opened in 1893 across the Isthmus of Corinth. The Kiel Canal comes next; the cited Kiel-Canal history page states that the 98.7 km waterway was opened in 1895 and links the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. Panama is last: the Panama Canal Authority page places the official opening on 15 August 1914, after the first complete passage earlier that year.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (B) It puts the Corinth Canal before the Suez Canal, but Suez opened in 1869 while Corinth opened only in 1893.
  • (C) It reverses Corinth and Kiel, although Corinth opened in 1893 and Kiel followed in 1895.
  • (D) It starts with the Panama Canal, even though Panama opened in 1914 and is the latest of the four routes listed.

Concept

This tests the World Geography theme of major maritime canals and their historical sequencing. RAS repeats such chronology because canals are standard links between physical geography, trade routes and geopolitical access.

Source

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