Key Facts about Panama Canal

About Panama Canal

• It is an artificial waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.
• The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit for maritime trade.
• It was cut through one of the narrowest saddles of the isthmus that joins North and South America.
• It is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world, the other being the Suez Canal. 
• It is approximately 80 kilometers long.
• It consists of a series of locks that raise and lower the water level to facilitate the passage of ships through the continental divide.
• History:
  • France began work on the canal in 1881, but financial troubles and diseases made the initiative fail.
  • The United States took over the project on May 4, 1904, and opened the canal on August 15, 1914, and then managed the waterway until 1999. 
  • On December 31, 1999, Panama took over full operation, administration, and maintenance of the Canal, in compliance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties negotiated with the United States in 1977.

Q1) What is the Suez Canal?

It is a 30 km (120 miles)-long artificial sea-level waterway located in Egypt. It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, a northern branch of the Red Sea. It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans. It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes.

Source: Mind-blowing: 22-Million-Year-Old Lost Forest Discovered in Panama Canal | All You Need to Know