Definition of the Panama Canal

The Panama canal is a interoceanic waterway, between the Ocean Pacific and the Caribbean Sea, and that crosses the Isthmus of Panama, a landform located in Panama precisely and that unites America South with Central America. The Isthmus has about 700 square kilometers and a width that ranges between 50 and 200 kilometers. As we said above, the Panama Canal crosses this Isthmus in its narrowest part and for example facilitates the transport by sea between the aforementioned waters that it unites.

The communicational and commercial importance that this point acquired from the year 1914 in which it was inaugurated is impressive since it not only shortened distances but also reduced the costs of the exchange commercial. It promoted the economic development of developing countries and also achieved the economic diffusion of many regions that were remote access until that moment.

It is worth mentioning that before its inauguration, the step used was that of Cape Horn, located in the southernmost tip of Chile

, which was not very comfortable for the area we mentioned.
Among the main users of this Channel are countries such as Chile, Japan, the United States, South Korea and China.

Since the arrival of the Spanish to continent American there were intentions of all colors to create the canal, however, for one thing or another the company of building it was always truncated.

Only at the end of the 19th century, thanks to the benefits of technologies and commercial contributions, the building of the canal became a reality. There was a first French attempt that failed, then it was advanced with a agreement between the Colombian governments, to whom Panama belonged at that time, and the North American, which also would not have a good ending.

Meanwhile, when in 1903, Panama separated from Colombia with the support of the United States, the road would open and finally, in the Hay-Bunau Varilla treaty, its creation would be sealed, which would see the light on August 15, 1914.

It is worth mentioning that that first agreement gave the United States guardianship over it and long years would pass until 1977 another would be signed document, the Torrijos-Carter treaty, which would return the sovereignty and total management of the Panama Canal.
Since September 3, 2007, work has been done on expanding the canal.

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