The term isthmus that concerns us now can be established that it has its etymological origin in Latin, specifically in the word "isthmus." This word, in turn, comes from the Greek "isthmos", which can be translated as "narrow passage".
An isthmus is a portion of land that connects a peninsula with a continent or links two continents .
Isthmuses are strips of land that link two larger sectors of land across the sea . In this way, they become the only way to unite the two regions by land.
It is common that, due to human action, the isthmus is crossed by a canal . These engineering works are carried out to facilitate maritime transport : by having the possibility of crossing the isthmus by boat, the route is shortened, since it is not necessary to border the continent or the peninsula. The channels, in this framework, create a direct passage between those seas that the isthmus is responsible for separating.
The Isthmus of Panama , for example, separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean . It extends nearly 700 kilometers, with a width ranging from 50 to 200 kilometers .
The Panama Canal was built on the isthmus of Panama , a navigation route inaugurated in 1914 that allows passage from the Caribbean Sea ( Atlantic Ocean ) to the Pacific Ocean and vice versa. This work , developed from a system of locks, revolutionized international trade by facilitating exchanges.
In the same way, we cannot ignore that another of the most important isthmuses is that of Corinth, which is the strip of land that unites what is the area of continental Greece, which responds to the name of Hellas. , with the Peloponnese peninsula. It is bathed by the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea and, in addition, it should be noted that it was important in Greek mythology. Specifically, it is considered to have been the cause of dispute between Poseidon and Helios.
Since the 19th century, this isthmus has been crossed by the Corinth Canal, which we can also point out that it has a width that ranges from 16 kilometers in its widest area to 6 kilometers in its narrowest part.
Likewise, we cannot forget the existence of the isthmus of Tehuantepec, which is located in Mexico, specifically between the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, and which is the narrowest area that exists between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, it has a width of approximately 200 kilometers and stands out, among other things, because it is a very rich area in terms of resources, with oil taking special importance.
It should be noted that the idea of isthmus also appears in anatomy . The isthmus of the brain , in this framework, is the part of said set of organs where the cerebellum and the cerebrum join. The isthmus of the fauces , meanwhile, is the opening between the pharynx and the mouth.