请将下面这段话翻译成英文：

大运河

大运河始建于公元前486年，包括隋唐大运河、京杭大运河和浙东大运河三部分，全长2700公里，跨越地球10多个纬度，地跨8个省、直辖市，纵贯在华北大平原上，通达海河、黄河、淮河、长江、曹娥江五大水系，是中国古代南北交通的大动脉，至今大运河历史延续已2500余年。它是世界上最长的运河，也是世界上开凿最早、规模最大的运河。

　　参考译文

Grand Canal

First built in 486 BC, the Grand Canal is divided into three sections: the Grand Canal of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and Eastern Zhejiang Grand Canal. With a total length of 2,700km, it spans 10 latitude degrees of the globe across 8 provinces and municipalities. As a major artery of the North China Plain, it connects five major water systems: Haihe River, Yellow River, Huai River, Yangtze River and Caoe River. With a history of over 2,500 years, it is the world’s oldest and also longest canal.

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