English channel

Water type: Sea channel
Continent: Europe
Climate: Temperate

Acipenseriformes - Sturgeons and Paddlefish

Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses

Anguilliformes - Eels and morays

Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts

Moroniformes - Temperate basses

Mugiliformes - Mullets

Clupeiformes - Herrings

Perciformes - Perches

Spariformes - Breams and porgies

Beloniformes - Needlefishes

Labriformes - Wrasses

Scombriformes - Mackerels

Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes

Gadiformes - Cods

Mulliformes - Goatfishes

Gobiiformes - Gobies

Carangiformes - Jacks

Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes

Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes

Aulopiformes - Grinners

Blenniiformes - Blennies

Lamniformes - Mackerel sharks

Carcharhiniformes - Ground sharks

Torpediniformes - Electric rays

Rajiformes - Skates and rays

Orectolobiformes - Carpet shark

Osmeriformes - Smelts

Chimaeriformes - Chimaeras

Squatiniformes - Angelsharks

Hexanchiformes - Six-gill sharks

Rhinopristiformes - Shovelnose rays

Myxiniformes - Hagfishes

Myliobatiformes - Stingrays

Zeiformes - Dories

Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes

Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards

Lampriformes - Lamprids

Squaliformes - Sleeper and dogfish sharks

Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes

Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes

Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps

Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels

Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers

Argentiniformes - Marine smelts

Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes

Beryciformes - Sawbellies

Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels

Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses

Atheriniformes - Silversides

Callionymiformes - Dragonets

Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks

Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes

The English Channel (French: la Manche, Breton: Mor Breizh, Cornish: Mor Bretannek), also called the British Channel or simply the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France and links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busiest shipping area in the world.

It is about 560 kilometres (300 nautical miles; 350 statute miles) long and varies in width from 240 km (130 nmi; 150 mi) at its widest to 34 km (18 nmi; 21 mi) at its narrowest in the Strait of Dover. It is the smallest of the shallow seas around the continental shelf of Europe, covering an area of some 75,000 square kilometres (22,000 square nautical miles; 29,000 square miles).

The Channel was a key factor in Britain becoming a naval superpower and has been utilised by Britain as a natural defence mechanism by which many would-be invasions, such as the Napoleonic Wars and those of Adolf Hitler in World War II,[5] were halted.

The population around the English Channel is predominantly located on the English coast and the major languages spoken in this region are French and English.