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Location: Global; Characteristics: Steady, persistent easterly winds found in the tropics; Importance: Historically used by sailing ships to cross oceans, still important for global weather patterns and modern sailing.

Location: North Atlantic Ocean, connecting North America and Europe; Characteristics: Ocean routes used by modern cargo ships; Importance: Key for the exchange of goods, culture, and migration between the New World and the Old World.

Location: Asia to Europe; Characteristics: Land route connecting East to West with diverse cultural exchanges; Importance: Instrumental for trade during ancient times, especially for silk, spices, and cultural exchanges.

Location: Across the Sahara Desert to West Africa; Characteristics: Caravan routes through the desert; Importance: Linked sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean and facilitated trade of gold, salt, and other goods.

Location: Southeast Asia through the Indian Ocean to Europe; Characteristics: Maritime routes for trading spices, also included overland routes; Importance: Major influence on world cuisine, drove European exploration.

Location: Atlantic Ocean, connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas; Characteristics: System of trade involving the exchange of goods and enslaved people; Importance: Huge impact on economies and societies on three continents, particularly the Americas and Africa.

Location: Arctic Ocean, through the Arctic Archipelago of Canada; Characteristics: Seasonal maritime route; Importance: Potentially shorter route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, historically sought after by explorers.

Location: Atlantic Ocean, from the Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe; Characteristics: Warm, swift Atlantic current; Importance: Influences the climate of the east coast of North America and Western Europe, major shipping route.

Location: Eastern China to the United Kingdom; Characteristics: Fast sailing ships, known as clippers, used for tea trade; Importance: Revolutionized the tea trade in the 19th century by speeding up shipping times significantly.

Location: Pacific Ocean, eastern coast of Asia; Characteristics: Warm northeasterly ocean current; Importance: Influences climate of nearby coastal areas, plays a key role in marine biodiversity in the region.

Location: Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea; Characteristics: Man-made waterway, crucial shortcut for maritime trade; Importance: Facilitates faster trade between Europe and Asia, avoids the lengthy Cape of Good Hope route.

Location: Worldwide; Characteristics: Shipping routes that follow the curvature of the Earth; Importance: Shortest navigable paths between two points on the Earth, reduces fuel consumption and time for maritime travel.

Location: Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; Characteristics: Man-made canal through Central America; Importance: Significantly reduces shipping time between the Atlantic and Pacific, crucial for international maritime trade.

Location: Pacific Ocean, along the western coast of North America; Characteristics: Cold water Pacific Ocean current that flows southward; Importance: Greatly affects the climate and ecosystem of the US west coast, crucial for fisheries.