Straits of Dover
| Dover Strait | |
|---|---|
 View from France across the Strait of Dover towards the English coast
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| Location | North Sea–English Channel (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Coordinates | 51°00′N 1°27′E / 51.000°N 1.450°ECoordinates: 51°00′N 1°27′E / 51.000°N 1.450°E |
| Type | Strait |
| Basin countries |
France England |
| Max. width | 33.3 km (20.7 mi) |
| Average depth | 30 m (98 ft) |
The Strait of Dover or Dover Strait, historically known as the Dover Narrows (French: Pas de Calais [pɑ d(ə)‿kalɛ], "Strait of Calais"; Dutch: Nauw van Calais [nʌu̯ vɑn kaːˈlɛː] or Straat van Dover), is the strait at the narrowest part of the English Channel, marking the boundary between the Channel and North Sea, separating Great Britain from continental Europe. The shortest distance across the strait, 33.3 kilometres (20.7 miles; 18.0 nautical miles), is from the South Foreland, northeast of Dover in the English county of Kent, to Cap Gris Nez, a cape near to Calais in the French département of Pas-de-Calais. Between these points lies the most popular route for cross-channel swimmers. The entire strait is within the territorial waters of France and the United Kingdom, but a right of transit passage under the UNCLOS exists allowing for unrestricted shipping.
On a clear day, it is possible to see the opposite coastline of England from France and vice versa with the naked eye, with the most famous and obvious sight being the white cliffs of Dover from the French coastline and shoreline buildings on both coastlines, as well as lights on either coastline at night, as in Matthew Arnold's poem "Dover Beach".
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