Panama Canal

the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks on each end of Miraflores Lake in Panama on the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal connects the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean and allows ships and vessels to quickly reach their destination by reducing their journey and travel time a massive amount. The economic benefits of the canal were assessed and understood by countries close to Panama as well as those who had interests in this area. The plans and efforts to build the canal had spanned over four centuries. The first efforts to build a canal in this area were undertaken by the king of Spain. Thereafter, the French also tried to build it. But the treacherous conditions made it nearly impossible for workers to carry out their work and in the end they gave up.

In 1903 the United States of America sought and received permission to build the canal and also administer it. Plans to build the canal didn’t just include architectural plans for it but also for the infrastructure that was essential to get the job done. Massive medical efforts were also made to control the diseases, malaria and yellow fever, that were common in the area and affected workers and stalled the construction of the canal. Finally on 15th of August 1914 the Panama Canal was inaugurated and the Ancon, a cargo ship was the first to gain passage through it.

The canal is 80 kilometers long and an important source of economic activity and tourism in the country. Panamax is the name given to maximum size of vessel that the canal can allow entry to. The canal includes several man made lakes and channels and locks. After the US Navy requested the locks were increased in size so as to allow navy ships passage through the canal. A Panama Canal Expansion Program is planned in order to design and create new locks for the waterway.

Wikipedia Panama Canal page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_canal

Found a good site looking at the history of the Panama Canal. Good Site