10 Longest Suspension Bridges in the World
Check out the 10 longest suspension bridges in the world with our interactive map.
What is a suspension bridge? You might not be familiar with the terminology, but you've likely seen one before, if not in person then at least in photos or recordings. They're probably the most iconics bridges. Think the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. They're the kind of bridges where the span (the part of the bridge for pedestrians and vehicles) is suspended in the air with the help of cables connected to towers. Suspension bridges are marvels of engineering and the following is a list of the 10 longest ones in the world.
1Akashi Kaikyō Bridge
- location: Kobe (Hyōgo)
- cost: USD $3.6 billion
- country: Japan
- main Span: 6,532 feet / 1,991 meters
- year: 1998
The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge crosses the Akashi Strait and connects the city of Kobe on the Japanese mainland with Awaji Island.
2Xihoumen Bridge
- location: Zhoushan (Zhejiang)
- cost: USD $363 million
- country: China
- main Span: 5,413 feet / 1,650 meters
- year: 2009
Xihoumen Bridge is one of five bridges that link the Zhoushan Archipelago, the largest offshore island group in China, to the Chinese mainland.
3Great Belt Bridge
- location: Korsør – Sprogø (Region Zealand)
- cost: USD $3.51 billion
- country: Denmark
- main Span: 5,328 feet / 1,624 meters
- year: 1998
The Great Belt Bridge is part of five structures that make up the Great Belt Fixed Link, which crosses the Great Belt strait and connects the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen. The Great Belt has helped reduce travel time between the islands from an hour by ferry to just ten minutes.
4Osman Gazi Bridge
- location: Dilovası – Altınova (Gulf of İzmit)
- cost: USD $1.2 billion
- country: Turkey
- main Span: 5,090 feet / 1,550 meters
- year: 2016
The Osman Gazi Bridge crosses the Gulf of İzmit to connect the Turkish city of Gebze to Yalova Province. The bridge is named after Osman Gazi, the founder of the Ottoman Dynasty.
5Yi Sun-sin Bridge
- location: Gwangyang – Yeosu (South Jeolla Province)
- cost: USD $407 million
- country: South Korea
- main Span: 5,069 feet / 1,545 meters
- year: 2012
The Yi Sun-sin Bridge connects the South Korean mainland with the island of Myodo-dong. The bridge is named after the Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin who became famous for using ironclad warships called turtle ships to help defeat the Japanese during the Imjin War (1592-98).
6Runyang Bridge
- location: Yangzhou – Zhenjiang (Jiangsu)
- cost: USD $700 million
- country: China
- main Span: 4,888 feet / 1,490 meters
- year: 2005
The Runyang Yangtze River Bridge crosses the Yangtze River and connects the city of Zhenjiang on the south bank of the river to the city of Yangzhou on the north bank.
7Nanjing Fourth Yangtze Bridge
- location: Nanjing (Jiangsu)
- cost: USD $1.05 billion
- country: China
- main Span: 4,652 feet / 1,418 meters
- year: 2012
Nanjing Fourth Yangtze Bridge, like the Runyang Yangtze River Bridge, crosses the Yangtze River and is named after the city of Nanjing.
8Humber Bridge
- location: Hessle – Barton-upon-Humber (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)
- cost: USD $184 million
- country: United Kingdom
- main Span: 4,626 feet / 1,410 meters
- year: 1981
The Humber Bridge crosses the Humber estuary and connects East Riding of Yorkshire with North Lincolnshire. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world from 1981 until 1998 upon the completion of the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge.
10Jiangyin Bridge
- location: Jiangyin – Jingjiang (Jiangsu)
- cost: USD $420 million
- country: China
- main Span: 4,544 feet / 1,385 meters
- year: 1999
The Jiangyin Bridge crosses the Yangtze River and connects the cities of Jiangyin to the south and Jingjiang to the north. The bridge was completed in 1997 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Revolution.