Pan-American Highway

The Pan-American Highway (Carretera Panamericana in Spanish; Estrada Panamericana in Portuguese; Autoroute Panaméricaine in French) is a network of roads nearly 48,000 km in total length, linking (nearly) the mainland nations of the Americas in a unified highway system. The idea of the Pan-American Highway emerged at the Fifth International Conference of American States in 1923, where it was originally conceived as a single route.

Related Topics:
Spanish - Portuguese - French - Road - The Americas - 1923

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The Pan-American Highway system is mostly complete and extends from Fairbanks, Alaska in North America to Chile in South America, though no route is officially defined in Canada and the United States. The notable stretch that keeps the highway from being completely connected is a section of land between the Panama Canal in Panama and northwest Colombia called the Darién Gap, which is a 54 mile (87 km) stretch of harsh, mountainous jungle. The "gap" has been crossed by adventurers on bicycle, motorbike and foot, dealing with jungle, quicksand, swamp and insects.

Related Topics:
Fairbanks, Alaska - North America - Chile - South America - Canada - United States - Panama Canal - Panama - Colombia - Darién Gap - Quicksand - Swamp

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Many are opposed to completing the Darién portion of the highway, with reasons as varied as the desire to protect the rain forest, containing the spread of tropical diseases, protecting the livelihood of indigenous peoples in the area, and preventing foot and mouth disease from entering North America. A short ferry link from Colombia to a new Caribbean coast extension of the existing Panama highway would complete the highway while providing an obstacle to most of these issues.

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The Pan-American Highway passes through many diverse climates and ecological types, from dense jungles to cold mountain passes. Since the highway passes through many countries, it is far from uniform. Some stretches of the highway are passable only during the dry season, and in many regions driving is occasionally hazardous.

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Famous sections of the Pan-American Highway include the Alaska Highway and the Inter-American Highway, the latter being the section between the United States and the Panama Canal. This part is quite popular among US tourists driving to Mexico.

Related Topics:
Alaska Highway - Inter-American Highway - United States - Mexico

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No road in the U.S. or Canada has been officially designated as the Pan-American Highway, and thus the road officially ends at the U.S./Mexico border. The original route began at the border at Laredo, Texas and went south through Mexico City. Later branches were built to the border at Nogales, Arizona, El Paso, Texas, Eagle Pass, Texas, Pharr, Texas and Brownsville, Texas.

Related Topics:
Laredo, Texas - Mexico City - Nogales, Arizona - El Paso, Texas - Eagle Pass, Texas - Pharr, Texas - Brownsville, Texas

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On the other hand, several roads in the U.S. were locally named after the Pan-American Highway. When the section of Interstate 35 in San Antonio, Texas was built, it was named the Pan Am Expressway, as it an extension of the original route from Laredo. Interstate 25 in Albuquerque, New Mexico has been named the Pan-American Freeway, as an extension of the route to El Paso.

Related Topics:
Interstate 35 - San Antonio, Texas - Pan Am Expressway - Interstate 25 - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Pan-American Freeway

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The original route to Laredo travels up Mexican Federal Highway 85 from Mexico City. The various spurs follow:

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• Nogales spur - Mexican Federal Highway 15 from Mexico City
• El Paso spur - Mexican Federal Highway 45 from Mexico City
• Eagle Pass spur - unknown, possibly Mexican Federal Highway 57 from Mexico City
• Pharr spur - Mexican Federal Highway 40 from Monterrey
• Brownsville spur - Mexican Federal Highway 101 from Ciudad Victoria

From Mexico City to the border with Guatemala, the Highway follows Mexican Federal Highway 190. Through the Central American countries, it follows Central American Highway 1, ending at Yaviza, Panama at the edge of the Darién Gap. The road had formerly ended at Cañita, Panama, 110 miles (178 km) north of its current end.

Related Topics:
Guatemala - Mexican Federal Highway 190 - Central America - Central American Highway 1 - Yaviza, Panama - Darién Gap - Cañita, Panama

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The southern part of the highway begins in northwestern Colombia, from where it follows Colombia Highway 52 to Medellín, Colombia. At Medellín, Colombia Highway 54 leads to Bogotá, Colombia, but Colombia Highway 11 turns south for a more direct route. Colombia Highway 72 runs southwest from Bogotá to join Highway 11 at Murillo, Colombia. Highway 11 runs all the way to the border with Ecuador, where Ecuador Highway 35 runs the whole length of the country. Peru Highway 1 carries the Pan-American Highway all the way through Peru to the border with Chile, where it picks up Chile Highway 5 to a point north of Santiago, Chile. The highway turns east there on Chile Highway 60, which becomes Argentina Highway 7 (and possibly partly Argentina Highway 8) to Buenos Aires, Argentina, the end of the main highway.

Related Topics:
Colombia Highway 52 - Medellín - Colombia Highway 54 - Bogotá, Colombia - Colombia Highway 11 - Colombia Highway 72 - Murillo, Colombia - Ecuador Highway 35 - Peru Highway 1 - Chile Highway 5 - Santiago, Chile - Chile Highway 60 - Argentina Highway 7 - Argentina Highway 8 - Buenos Aires, Argentina

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A continuation of the Pan-American Highway to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil uses a ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia, Uruguay and Uruguay Highway 1 to Montevideo, Uruguay. Uruguay Highway 9 and Brazil Highway 471 run to near Pelotas, Brazil, from where Brazil Highway 116 leads to Rio de Janeiro.

Related Topics:
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Colonia, Uruguay - Uruguay Highway 1 - Montevideo, Uruguay - Uruguay Highway 9 - Brazil Highway 471 - Pelotas, Brazil - Brazil Highway 116

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One branch, known as the Simón Bolívar Highway, runs from Bogotá, Colombia to Guiria, Venezuela. It begins by using Colombia Highway 71 all the way to the border with Venezuela. From there it uses Venezuela Highway 1 to Caracas, Venezuela and Venezuela Highway 9 to its end at Guiria.

Related Topics:
Simón Bolívar Highway - Bogotá, Colombia - Guiria, Venezuela - Colombia Highway 71 - Venezuela Highway 1 - Caracas, Venezuela - Venezuela Highway 9

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Another branch, from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Asuncion, Paraguay, heads out of Buenos Aires on Argentina Highway 9. It switches to Argentina Highway 11 at Rosario, Argentina, which crosses the border with Paraguay right at Asuncion.

Related Topics:
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Asuncion, Paraguay - Argentina Highway 9 - Argentina Highway 11 - Rosario, Argentina

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Other branches probably exist across the center of South America.

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For tourism purposes, the Pan-American Highway is sometimes assumed to use the Alaska Highway and then run down the west coast of Canada and the United States, running east from San Diego, California and picking up the branch to Nogales, Arizona.

Related Topics:
Tourism - Alaska Highway - Canada - United States - San Diego, California - Nogales, Arizona

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The Pan-American Highway travels through the following 15 countries:

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• Canada
• United States
• Mexico
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Honduras
• Nicaragua
• Costa Rica
• Panama
• Venezuela
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Peru
• Chile
• Argentina

See also Pan-American Highway (North America) and Pan-American Highway (South America) for a detailed description of the highway route.

Related Topics:
Pan-American Highway (North America) - Pan-American Highway (South America)

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Pan-American Highway: Sources ►