Isthmus:
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and separates two bodies of water. Isthmuses have been strategic locations for centuries. They are natural sites for ports and canals linking terrestrial and aquatic trade routes. Isthmuses are also key sites for communications and cultural exchange, as well as military outposts.
Example: The Isthmus of Panama in Panama links the continents of North and South America, and separates the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Strait:
A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water. It may be formed by a fracture in an isthmus, a narrow body of land that connects two bodies of water. Tectonic shifts can lead to straits like this. One strait that was formed by tectonic activity is the Strait of Gibraltar, the only link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. If fractures in an isthmus are created by human activity, the straits are usually called canals. For example, The Suez Canal. A strait can also be formed by a body of water overflowing land that has subsided or has been eroded. The Bosporus, which links the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, was formed this way.
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