The Leopold Canal (Dutch: Leopoldkanaal or Leopoldvaart, French: Canal Léopold) is a canal in northern Belgium. Construction occurred between 1847 and 1850 after the Belgian government granted permission in 1846. It runs about 40 km (25 mi) westward from Boekhoute to Heist-aan-Zee just south of the Dutch border. It is between 1.2 and 2.3 m (3 ft 11 in and 7 ft 7 in) deep. The canal was proposed by Canon Joseph Andries [nl], local member of the Belgian National Congress, to prevent the Dutch from blocking the discharge of water and inundating the Meetjesland after Belgium's independence from the Netherlands.

This article does not cite any sources. (December 2009)

Leopold Canal
The Leopold Canal in Sint-Laureins
Specifications
Length	46 km (29 mi)
Status	Open
History
Construction began	1847
Date completed	1850
Geography
Start point	west of Zelzate
End point	North Sea

This canal was a major line of German resistance during the Battle of the Scheldt in World War II.

See also

• Ghent–Terneuzen Canal
• Braakman

External links

Media related to Leopoldkanaal at Wikimedia Commons

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