cessfully to sign a treaty with Colombia to
gain permanent access to a canal route.
Apparently, with some U.S. encouragement, the Panamanians revolted and
declared independence from Colombia
in late 1903. The United States quickly
recognized Panama and signed a treaty
for the canal route.
Most of the Panama Canal was built
between 1904 and 1914. At the height of
construction, more than 40,000 laborers
were employed. Although many were
American, West Indians and Europeans
made up the majority. Tropical diseases
ravaged the workers until Col. William C.
Gorgas, a U.S. Army physician, brought
the diseases under control primarily by
draining mosquito breeding areas and
The United States relinquishes control of
screening in workers’ living quarters.
the Panama Canal on Dec. 31, 1999. Since
The Canal Zone largely became an
1904, the Canal Zone has been strategic to
American enclave within Panama. While
the Americas’ security, serving both milimost of Panama’s 2.7 million inhabitants
tary and commercial interests. The implilanguished under a developing economy,
cations of Panamanian control will be a
Canal Zonians lived lifestyles more apmajor news item in coming months.
propriate to the United States. AutomoUpon its final completion in 1914, the
biles, refrigerators and air conditioners
Panama Canal was heralded as one of the
made the lives of the
world’s greatest engineermostly U.S. descening marvels. Although it
dents a stark contrast
has been an enormous ecoCARIBBEAN
to those of Panamanian
nomic and strategic sucnationals.
cess, from time to time it
SEA
Many Panahas also been the source of
manians saw the
dispute.
Americans benefiting
Although the original
from the use of a Panacanal treaty was made in
Colon
manian resource, the
perpetuity (forever), PresiCanal Zone. Zonians,
dent Jimmy Carter negotie
vid
ke
i
on the other hand, saw
ated a 20-year phased rea
D
L
themselves as serving
turn of the Canal Zone folthe United States and
lowing protests by Panabeing paid well for
manian nationals. Debate
their services. Thus is
continues over the wisdom
al
Panama
t
the
rudimentary
of the decision, given the
en
City
source
of
the cultural
significance of the canal to
n
ti
n
conflict
afflicting
the
the United States.
o
Balboa
Canal Zone and leadThe Panama Canal cuts
ing to its return to
through the narrowest part
Panama.
of the Isthmus of Panama,
PA C I F I C
At midnight on
joining the Caribbean Sea
OCEAN
LOCK
Dec. 31, 1999, the
and the Pacific Ocean. The
0
10 mi
United States will officanal offers an 8,000-mile
cially hand the Panama
(12,874-km.) shortcut for
PA N A M A
0
16 km
Canal and the Canal
ships sailing between the
CANAL
©2000 maps.com
Zone over to the PanaU.S. east and west coasts.
manian government.
This slices 15 to 20 sailing
The transition will
days from an average cargo
mark the end of an era.
beginning in 1899, the one across the Isthship’s trip, including the eight-hour trip
And that is Geography in the News,
mus of Panama had the most promise.
through the 50-mile (80-km.) long canal.
August 15, 1998.
The territory of Panama, however, was
It also allows ships to avoid some of the
part of the country of Colombia. In 1903,
world’s roughest ocean around the south(The author is a professor of geography at
the United States purchased the rights to
ern tip of South America.
Appalachian State University.) #444
the de Lesseps’ project and tried unsucThere are several misconceptions about
n
C
Gatu
RETURNING THE
CANAL
the canal. First, many people perceive the
canal to run north-south, but it actually is
oriented almost east-west. The west end
connects to the Caribbean Sea at the city
of Colon, while the east end is located at
Balboa on the Pacific Ocean.
Second, it is often thought that Panama is
a sea level canal and that ships simply sail
through it. However, it uses a system of
locks and dams to raise and lower ships
85 feet (26 m.) during transit. In fact, a sea
level canal would not be possible because
the tides on the Caribbean and Pacific
sides of the isthmus do not correspond.
Ferdinand M. de Lesseps, builder of
the Suez Canal, first attempted the Panama
Canal in 1882. A series of financial disasters and tropical diseases, particularly
malaria and yellow fever, stagnated the
project.
When an American military ship had
to sail around South America during the
1898 Spanish-American War to reach
Cuba, it demonstrated the strategic need
for a canal across Central America.
Although several routes were explored
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