About Panama Canal:

• It is an artificial waterwaythat 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 kilometres 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.