Canal

A canal is an artificial waterway built to carry water or provide a route for boats. Navigation canals often use locks to connect waterways at different elevations.

Canal lock: A gated chamber that raises or lowers boats between stretches of water at different elevations. Locks let navigation canals overcome changes in elevation without steep, unnavigable channels.
Ship canal: A canal designed to accommodate seagoing ships or other large vessels. Ship canals create navigable shortcuts or connect inland ports with the sea.
Suez Canal: A sea-level canal in Egypt connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It links Europe and Asia without a voyage around Africa.
Inland waterway transport: The movement of people and goods on navigable rivers, lakes, and canals. Canals extend inland waterway networks beyond naturally navigable rivers.
River: A natural flowing body of water that usually drains toward a sea, lake, or another river. Unlike a canal, a river forms through natural drainage rather than deliberate construction.
Sluice gate: A movable gate that controls water flow through an opening in a barrier. Sluice gates regulate canal levels and release water when needed.
Irrigation canal: A channel that conveys water from a source to agricultural land. Irrigation canals distribute water to fields, often through branching networks.
Panama Canal: A lock canal across Panama connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Its locks lift ships across the Isthmus of Panama between ocean basins.
Irrigation: The artificial application of water to land to support crops or other vegetation. Canals can transform agriculture by carrying water to fields far from natural sources.
Pipeline transport: The movement of liquids or gases through connected pipes. Pipelines convey fluids in enclosed conduits, while canals carry exposed water or boats.

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