This Envisat radar image features the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most important waterways, in northeastern Egypt. The canal connects the Red Sea (a small part visible at the bottom of the image) with the Mediterranean Sea (at top), providing ships a direct route between the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.

The image was obtained by combining three Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar acquisitions (17 September 2007, 31 December 2007 and 10 November 2008) taken over the same area. The colours in the image result from variations in the surface that occurred between acquisitions.