What is the Canal Zone in Panama?

Panama Canal Zone was a territorial possession of the United States from 1903 until 31 December 1999. It roughly consisted of the land within five miles on each side of the centerline of the Panama Canal. The land is now part of Panama.

At the time the United States entered World War II in December 1941, the Panama Canal Zone was of critical importance to American national security. It was considered to be one of the most vulnerable areas that the United States needed to defend. The Canal was under constant threat of attack from Axis forces, and the need to protect it necessitated a significant commitment of American military resources.

The Canal Zone was home to a variety of military installations, including Fort Amador, Fort Clayton, and Fort Kobbe. These bases housed American troops who were responsible for defending the Canal and its surrounding areas. The Canal Zone was also home to a naval base at Rodman and an air force base at Howard Field.

The United States maintained a strong military presence in the Canal Zone until the 1970s, when it began to negotiate a treaty with Panama to transfer control of the Canal to Panamanian control. The Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 established a timetable for the transfer of the Canal, which was completed on December 31, 1999.