In Japan, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge connecting the city of Kobe with Awaji Island over the Akashi Strait opened in 1998 and is 2.43 miles (3.9 km) long.
The main span is 1.24 miles (2 km) long.
All four of Japan’s main islands are now connected by bridges.
Because the bridge is near the epicenter of the earthquake that hit Kobe in 1995, its designers made sure that its foundations were deep enough to withstand earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8.5 on the Richter scale.
The previous record holder was the Humber Estuary Bridge in Humberside, Great Britain, which has a 4,625 foot (1,410 meter) main span.
