Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is located in Central America between the countries of Columbia and Costa Rica. This canal helps connect ships go from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean without having to go all around South America. The Panama Canal also happens to be a major ship canal. The construction of the canal was one of the largest and most difficult engineering project that's ever been undertaken. The total death toll for the building of the canal around 27,500. The construction started in 1880 and the canal opened August 1914.

Passing the canal by cargo ship takes about nine hours with about 40 vessels passing through the canal per day. Since the opening of the canal it has been successful for international shipping.

Click here to view a map of the Panama Canal.