What Central American waterway was officially opened in 1914?

The Central American waterway officially opened in 1914 was the Panama Canal. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama, giving ships a far shorter route than sailing around the southern tip of South America.

France began the first major construction effort in 1881, but engineering difficulties, financial problems, landslides, and deadly tropical diseases halted the project. The United States took over in 1904 and completed the canal using a system of locks that lifts ships to Gatun Lake before lowering them back toward the opposite ocean.

The canal opened to commercial traffic on August 15, 1914, when the SS Ancon made the first official transit. Its opening coincided with the start of World War I, so the planned international celebration was canceled. The United States controlled the canal zone for decades; administration was gradually transferred to Panama under the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, with Panama assuming full control in 1999.