Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is a canal 82 km (51 mi) long that cuts through the isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in Central America. The canal has a huge impact on shipping, as it removes the need for ships to travel the long and dangerous route via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn (at the southernmost tip of South America). The canal saves a total of about 18,000 miles on a trip from New York to San Francisco by sea.

Related Topics:
Canal - Km - Mi - Isthmus of Panama - Atlantic - Pacific Ocean - Central America - Shipping - Drake Passage - Cape Horn - South America - New York - San Francisco

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The building of a canal in Panama was first speculated in the early 1500s, but not finished until almost 400 years later when the canal opened on August 15, 1914. The canal was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken; it was plagued by problems during and after its construction, including disease, deadly landslides and lack of water. Nevertheless the canal has been a great success, accommodating the passage of approximately 12,000 ships per year. Approximately 800,000 ships have passed through the Panama Canal since its completion {{ref|earthinfo}}.

Related Topics:
Panama - 1500s - August 15 - 1914 - Engineering - Landslides

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~