The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
The canal uses a system of locks to raise ships to Gatun Lake, which lies about 26 metres above sea level, and then lower them back to the opposite ocean. The original waterway opened on 15 August 1914 after major construction led by the United States, following an unsuccessful French effort.
The canal is about 82 kilometres long and greatly reduces the sea journey between the Atlantic and Pacific. Ships do not travel through a sea-level trench all the way across the isthmus; they pass through artificial lakes, channels and lock chambers. The Panama Canal Authority has administered the canal since Panama assumed full control on 31 December 1999.
The Suez Canal also links two major seas, but it crosses Egypt and connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. Panama’s lock system and mountainous terrain make its engineering story distinct from the mostly sea-level Suez route.