The longest bridges in the world

For hundreds of years the different populations of the planet have used bridges to facilitate both communication and the way to move between different cities; since this also allows the connection with other people, with the exchange of services and, of course, of merchandise.

In the last decades, bridges have been built with different materials, shapes and lengths, which are becoming more and more extensive. Some of them have designs that look like perfect works of art, besides having complex constructions due to their beautiful architecture.

It is said that the official list is more or less about 300 bridges around the globe, located on different continents and crossing the borders of these in our planetary geography. Below, we have selected just a few of them, such as in Asia, Europe and North America.

The longest bridges on the Asian continent

• The Danyang-Kunshan Bridge: it is located towards the east of the Jiangsu province in China and is considered the longest bridge on the planet. Its construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2010, and during that period some 10,000 people were employed; but it was actually inaugurated in 2011. 

We are talking about a viaduct of about 164.8 km, forming part of the high-speed railway line between Shanghai and Beijing, the most important in China. It crosses the famous Yangcheng Lake which is 9 km long and where you can see lowlands, lakes, rivers and rice fields, that is, this bridge runs parallel to the southern part of the Yangtze, about 15 km from it.

• Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct: it is also a railway bridge and is considered the second longest in the world. It was inaugurated in January 2007. It is located in Taiwan or the Republic of China, and is 157.3 km long, forming part of the entire Taiwan High Speed Railway system; running along its west coast and linking Baguashan with Zuoying to the south. 
• Cangde Bridge: its construction was completed in 2010, making it the third longest bridge in the world, at 115.9 km, and designed to withstand earthquakes. It is an important part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail network.
• The Tianjin Bridge: opened in 2011, with a length of 113.7 km and was designed to link the regions of Langfang and Qingxian belonging to the province of Hebei, northwest China. It is a route by train to Tianjin, i.e., for railroads of the country’s high-speed train system. 
• Incheon Bridge: this is the longest bridge in South Korea, it is a work of engineering that connects Yeongjong, that is, this island with the Korean peninsula. Now, if you arrive in Seoul, its capital, the airline will arrive at Incheon International Airport, and all transport to get to the city from the airport will pass through this beautiful bridge.

The longest bridges on the European continent 

• The Vasco da Gama Bridge: it is considered one of the longest in the continent, located in Lisbon, next to the Tagus River, in the estuary; that is, the most humid area of Portugal, with a sanctuary for crustaceans, mollusks, fish and for the beautiful birds that stop here during their migration. 

This bridge was built between 1995 and 1998 and brought the solution for the passage of the river, which was very difficult at that time. The bridge is named after the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, as a tribute for his arrival in 1498 to India.

• The Bridge of the Constitution of 1812: this bridge is perhaps the most modern of the longest bridges. It was inaugurated in 2015 and is the most beautiful in Andalusia, Spain. In order to enjoy the beautiful views of the bridge it is recommended to take the ride on a private boat, across the bay of Cadiz. It has a length of 3092 km and is ranked number 53 worldwide.
• Ölandsbron Bridge in Sweden: road bridge connecting the island of Öland with the Scandinavian peninsula. Crossing the Baltic Sea and passing over this bridge is like floating on water. Its construction took 5 years and cost 80 million Swedish crowns. It is 6072 m long, 13 m wide and 36 m high; it also has a hump at the western end, a very interesting feature.

The longest bridges in the American Continent:

• Straits of Mackinac Bridge: this bridge is also known as the Big Mac or Mackinac Bridge. It is located in the state of Michigan and crosses the Straits of Mackinac. It is a suspension bridge in the north of the U.S.A., and it is located between the lakes of Huron and Michigan, joining the peninsulas; that is to say, the inferior with the superior of that state. 

Also, the locations on the north shore with St. Ignace and on the south shore with Mackinac City. It is considered one of the longest bridges in this country, besides being an icon of engineering. It is 8038 m long, 168 m high and 20.7 m wide. Its construction began in 1954 and it was inaugurated in November 1957. 

• Lake Pontchartrain Causeway: it is also called Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. This is not a bridge like the ones we are used to seeing, rather its structure is formed by 2 parallel causeways or bridges, which cross the famous Lake Pontchartrain, and one is slightly larger, with a difference of about 15 m (50 ft). 

Both are 38.42 km long, over 9000 concrete pillars. That is, a length slightly longer than the distance between France and England. Since 1969, it has connected the cities of Mandeville to the north and Metairie to the south, two towns in New Orleans, Louisiana.