Which gulf is the Pacific approach to the Panama Canal?

The gulf that forms the Pacific approach to the Panama Canal is the Gulf of Panama.

The Gulf of Panama is a Pacific Ocean gulf along Panama’s southern coast. The canal’s Pacific entrance opens into the gulf near Panama City and the port of Balboa. From there, ships travel through the canal’s channels, locks and artificial lakes before reaching the Caribbean Sea, creating a crucial link between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The Panama Canal officially opened on 15 August 1914. Its route is about 82 kilometres long and uses locks to raise vessels to Gatun Lake, which sits about 26 metres above sea level, before lowering them again toward the opposite ocean. The Pacific end is not simply a narrow harbour: it leads into the much larger Gulf of Panama.

Several smaller bodies of water lie within or along the gulf, including Panama Bay to the north, the Gulf of Parita to the west and the Gulf of San Miguel to the east. The Pearl Islands are another notable feature, forming an archipelago of more than 200 islands. The Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of California and Gulf of Tonkin are unrelated locations.