Which two major bodies of water are connected by the Panama Canal?

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama and provides a water route between the two oceans, avoiding the long journey around South America’s Cape Horn. Ships entering from the Atlantic side pass through the Caribbean Sea, which is part of the Atlantic basin, while the Pacific entrance lies near Panama City.

The United States completed the canal in 1914 after France’s earlier construction effort failed. Its locks raise ships to Gatun Lake and then lower them toward the opposite ocean. The original canal used three lock systems, and a major expansion opened in 2016 to accommodate larger vessels.

The canal greatly shortened shipping routes between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Its importance also made control of the waterway a major political issue; Panama assumed full control from the United States on 31 December 1999.