The English Channel separates southern England from northern France and connects the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It ranges from 350 miles long and 150 miles wide to just 20 miles wide. Historically, the submerged lands between England and France played a role in prehistoric Europe. Today, it sees over 500 ships passing through daily and was the site of the world's first radar controlled traffic separation system due to collisions. Multiple ferry routes and the Channel Tunnel now provide transportation crossing beneath the Channel.