Waterway connecting the Baltic with the North Sea; 96 km/60 mi long. It provides passage for ocean-going vessels. Built by Germany in the years before World War I, the canal allowed the German navy to move from its Baltic bases to the open sea without travelling through international waters. It was declared an international waterway by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
The Pillars of Hercules represent the promontories of Gibraltar and Ceuta. The shield represents the regions of Castile, Léon, Aragón, Navarre, and Granada. Effective date: 18 December 1981.