About the Panama Canal 

• The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway, 82 kilometers long, located in Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 
• It cuts across the Isthmus of Panama, serving as a major route for global maritime trade. 
• The canal saves around 12,600 kilometers on a journey between New York and San Francisco. 
• The first ship passed through the canal on August 15, 1914. 

Route of Panama Canal 

How the Panama Canal Works 

• The Panama Canal uses a sophisticated system of locks and elevators to transport ships from one ocean to the other. 
• This is necessary because the two oceans are at different elevations, with the Pacific Ocean being slightly higher than the Atlantic Ocean. 
• To travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific, ships must be raised and lowered using locks, which function like water elevators. 
• The locks either fill with water to raise ships or drain to lower them to the required level. 
• The entire system includes 12 locks, operated through artificial lakes and channels. 

Panama Canal Transit