The Panama Canal mapped

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The Panama Canal is a human-made 77 km (50 mi) watercourse in Panama that unites the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. This artificial waterway cuts across the Isthmus of Darien. Actually, the Panama Canal connects the world.

Canal gateways are at every end to lift vessels to Gatun Lake, a man-made lake constructed to decrease the quantity of mining work needed for the Canal, 26 meters (85 ft) above sea level, and then lower the vessels at another end. The first constructed gateways were 32.5 meters (110 ft) wide. In 2016 canal was expanded for bigger ships.

Yearly traffic had increased from nearly one thousand ships in 1914 when the Panama Canal was opened to more than 815 thousand ships in 2012.

It can take a big ship up to 11.38 hours to pass through the 82 kilometes-long Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal remains one of the most fantastic engineering structures and wonders of the contemporary world that boggles the mind. The Panama Canal remains one of the most fantastic engineering structures and wonders of the contemporary world that boggles the mind.

Movies and even board games were dedicated to this amazing structure.

15 interesting facts about the Panama Chanel

1. The concept of a canal was first imagined up in the 16th century. Charles V (King of Spain) sent out engineers to examine the feasibility of creating a canal, helping voyage from Spain to Peru.
2. The United States constructed the Panama Canal, but the French started the work.
3. Initially, the United States was engaged in excavating a canal in Nicaragua, not Panama (Nicaragua Canal plan is still in play).
4. More than 25 thousand people died during the building of the Panama Canal.
5. The first vessel to pass the Panama Canal was SS Ancon.
6. The United States assigned the administration of the Canal to Panama in 1999.
7. The Canal is a short cut connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans – 77 kilometres (50miles).
8. The Panama Canal has decreased the sailing length from Atlantic to Pacific by an enormous 8 thousand nautical miles. If we cruise with an average speed of roughly 15 knots, then it will be 22 long days.
9. At every end of the Panama Canal, a locks system elevates ships 26 meters (85 feet) above sea level to an artificial lake.
10. Approximately 1.4 million kilograms (30 million pounds) of explosives were used to remove the rocks during the Panama Canal construction.
11. About 14 thousand vessels use the Panama Canal each year.
12. More than one million ships have passed through the Panama Canal since it opened.
13. The Panama Canal brings around two billion U.S. dollars in profits every year.
14. A swimmer Richard Halliburton paid the lowest price ever for passing the Canal. He swam the entire distance of the Panama Canal in 1928. Due to his weight of 68 kilograms, he was paid 36 cents.
15. The Panama Canal is continually being extended. The last time Panama Canal was enlarged for larger vessels in 2016.

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