UPSC Prelims 2007 Q88: Geography – World Physical Geography
Through which one of the following Straits does a tunnel connect the United Kingdom and
France?
- (a) Davis Strait
- (b) Denmark Strait
- (c) Strait of Dover
- (d) Strait of Gibraltar
Answer: (c) Strait of Dover
Explanation
Channel Tunnel — under the Strait of Dover
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Connects | Folkestone (England) and Coquelles near Calais (France) |
| Lies under | Strait of Dover (Pas de Calais) |
| Opened | 1994 |
| Length | ~50 km (≈ 38 km under the sea — the longest undersea section of any tunnel) |
| Trains | Eurostar, LeShuttle |
Other straits:
| Strait | Between |
|---|---|
| Davis | Greenland and Baffin Island (Canada) |
| Denmark | Greenland and Iceland |
| Gibraltar | Spain and Morocco (Atlantic ↔ Mediterranean) |
Answer: (c) Strait of Dover.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Davis Strait lies between Greenland and Canada.
- (b) Incorrect. Denmark Strait lies between Greenland and Iceland.
- (c) CORRECT. The Channel Tunnel runs beneath the Strait of Dover.
- (d) Incorrect. Gibraltar separates Spain and Morocco — no tunnel exists there.
Key point
Channel Tunnel (1994) = under the Strait of Dover, Folkestone to Calais.
Remember
The UK-France tunnel runs under the Strait of Dover.
Common mistakes
- Choosing Gibraltar because it is the most famous European strait.
- Thinking the Denmark Strait is near Denmark — it is between Greenland and Iceland.
- Mixing the English Channel (wide) with the Strait of Dover (its narrowest part).
Exam tip
Dover = narrowest point of the English Channel (~33 km) → natural place for a tunnel.
Sources
- Oxford School Atlas — Europe
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Channel Tunnel
- NCERT Class XII — Fundamentals of Human Geography, Ch 8 (Transport)