What is Panama Canal?

About Panama Canal:

 

• It is a constructed waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
• 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.
• The canal was built by the United States between 1904 and 1914, and it was officially opened on August 15, 1914.
• It is owned and administered by the Republic of Panama since the oversight of the Canal was transferred from the United States to Panama in 1999.
• The Panama Canal consists of a series of locks that raise and lower the water level to facilitate the passage of ships through the continental divide.

 

What is an Isthmus?

• An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land masses which is bounded by water on two sides. 
• The word has its origins from the Greek word isthmós which means “neck.”
• Two notable isthmuses are the Isthmus of Panama which separates the continents of North America and South America and the Isthmus of Suez which divides Africa from Asia.

 

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Q1) What is the Isthmus of Suez?

The Isthmus of Suez is a narrow land bridge located in Egypt that connects the continents of Africa and Asia. It separates the Mediterranean Sea to the north from the Red Sea to the south.

Source: Drought-hit Panama Canal restricts daily crossings in water-saving move