What is the Panama Canal?
Posted on Aug 16, 2025 / Travel
The Panama Canal is a 50-mile (about 80 km) man-made waterway connecting the Atlantic (Caribbean) and Pacific Oceans through Panama. It allows ships to avoid the long, hazardous trip around South America’s Cape Horn. The canal uses a series of locks to lift vessels up to Gatun Lake and then lower them back to sea level. Opened in 1914, it quickly became one of the world’s most strategic trade routes. Today it handles a significant share of global maritime commerce. Its operation is managed by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).
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