Belt,

Belt, the name given to two straits, the GREAT and the LITTLE BELT, which, with the Sound, connect the Baltic with the Cattegat. The GREAT BELT, nearly 40 miles in length, and varying in breadth from about 10 to nearly 20 miles, divides the Danish islands, Zealand and Laaland, from Fünen and Langeland. The LITTLE BELT divides the island of Fünen from Jutland. It is equal in length to the Great Belt, but much narrower. Its greatest breadth is about 10 miles, but it gradually narrows towards the north, until at the fort of Fredericia it is less than a mile wide; thus the passage from the Cattegat into the Baltic is here easily commanded. Both the Belts are dangerous to navigation on account of numerous sand-banks and strong currents; and therefore, for large vessels, the passage by the Sound (q.v.) is preferred.