5 Facts About English Channel

1. The English Channel formed around 10,000 years ago when the last ice age ended.

2. The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with 600 tankers and 200 ferries passing through every day.

3. The English Channel Crossing Association was set up at about this time to cater for unorthodox crossings.

4. In more peaceful times the English Channel served as a link joining shared cultures and political structures, particularly the huge Angevin Empire from 1135 to 1217.

5. Until the 18th century, the English Channel had no fixed name either in English or in French.