Which ocean does the Panama Canal connect to the Atlantic Ocean?

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

The canal crosses Panama at its narrowest point, linking the Caribbean Sea on the Atlantic side with the Gulf of Panama on the Pacific side. Ships avoid sailing around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, saving thousands of kilometres on many routes.

The waterway is about 82 kilometres long and uses locks to raise ships to Gatun Lake, which lies about 26 metres above sea level. Vessels then descend through locks on the opposite side. The canal opened to commercial traffic in 1914.

France began an earlier construction attempt in the 1880s, but disease, engineering problems and financial collapse halted it. The United States completed the canal, and Panama gained full control on 31 December 1999. A larger lock system opened in 2016 to accommodate New Panamax ships.