Question

Sameer and Sania are playing a game of showing the waterways on a map of the world. Their routes are going in opposite directions. One is following the eastern route while the other is taking a route that takes to the west.

• From Mumbai port some goods are to be taken to London in UK. On a map of the world, show at least two such routes with a pencil. Write down the names of the ports of different nations that fall on the route followed by each.
  1. Ports on the route followed by Sameer. 
  2. Ports on the route followed by Sania.
• Which of the routes you feel is shorter? That of Sameer's or Sonia's?
• Which oceans does one have to pass through if one follows Sameer's route or Sonia's route?
• What are Panama and Suez? For what purpose were they constructed? Have these been used in Sameer's or Sonia's routes?
• Find if there can be any route other than the ones that you have marked.

Answer 1

• Sameer and Sania followed by post on route
  1. Mumbai → Colombo (Sri Lanka) → Singapore → Hong Kong (China) → across the Pacific Ocean → Panama Canal → New York (USA) → London (UK).
  2. Mumbai → Aden (Yemen) → Suez (Egypt) → through the Suez Canal → Port Said (Egypt) → Gibraltar → London (UK).
• Sania’s western route through the Suez Canal is shorter for travelling from Mumbai to London.
• Oceans/seas crossed:
  1. Sameer’s route: Indian Ocean → Pacific Ocean → Atlantic Ocean.
  2. Sania’s route: Arabian Sea → Red Sea → Mediterranean Sea → Atlantic Ocean.
• Panama and Suez are man-made canals. They were constructed to shorten sea routes and save time, distance and fuel.
  1. Panama Canal connects the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.
  2. Suez Canal connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
     Sameer’s route uses the Panama Canal, while Sania’s route uses the Suez Canal.
• Yes. Ships can also travel around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and then enter the Atlantic Ocean to reach London, but this route is much longer.