The Panama Canal, 50 miles long, cuts across the isthmus of Panama---a narrow piece of land that connects two bigger masses of land---which lies between the American continents. It is made up of artificial lake and channels as well as a complex system of three sets of locks.
A plan to create a canal began as early as 1539 when the King of Spain, Charles V, drew up plans, but it wasn't until 300 years later, in 1880, after the building of the Panama railway, that construction began under the French, directed by Ferdinand de Lessep. De Lessep had just finished the Suez Canal in Egypt to success, but the conditions in Panama were much harsher than in Egypt. In 1889, after 22,000 people died from the harsh conditions, malaria, and yellow fever, the construction project went bankrupt.
In 1904, construction of the Panama Canal came under the control of the U.S. under President Teddy Roosevelt after Panama's movement for independence from Columbia in 1903. During this time, it was discovered that mosquitos caused yellow fever and preventative measures were taken, greatly improving working conditions, although more than 5,000 more people died before the project was finished. In 1914 the canal was opened for use.
After World War II, the relations between the U.S. and Panama became strained. Control over the Panama Canal remained in the hands of the U.S. until 1977 when a treaty was signed to relinquish it to Panama as long as Panama retained neutrality. By 1999, full responsibility over the canal was given to Panama under the Panama Canal Authority, the branch of the government assigned control over the canal.
The canal is 50 miles long and is open 24 hours a day every day of the year, allowing the passage of more than 14,000 water vessels transporting 4 percent of the trade in the world and 16 percent of the trade from the U.S. The maximum dimensions of vessels that can pass through are 106 feet in beam, 965 feet in length and 39.5 feet deep. It takes an average of 8 to 10 hours to travel through the Canal, 24.58 hours with wait time. Sixty-eight percent of the traffic that passes through the Panama Canal comes from or is headed toward the U.S.
