The Straights of Magellan is the sea route that separates Tierra del Feugo from mainland South America. At 570 kilometers (350 miles) long and 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) wide, it is a significant passageway that allows passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Until the completion of the Panama Canal, it was one of three sea routes that connected the two oceans; though difficult to navigate, it was often the least dangerous of the three options.