Surprising facts about the Panama Canal

Now in operation for over 100 years, the Panama Canal allows ships and cargo vessels to save time and money by avoiding a long detour of several thousand kilometers to southern Argentina and Chile (Cape Horn).

Here are some interesting (and surprising!) facts about this architectural gem, also known as the ^8th wonder of the world!

• The French began construction in the early 1880s. After a long series of obstacles (yellow fever epidemic, earthquake, fatal accidents), the work was finally taken over and completed by the Americans. The Panama Canal was finally inaugurated in 1914.

• Over 60 million pounds of dynamite were used in the construction of the Canal.

• In 1963, the Canal began operating 24 hours a day due to high demand.

• The Canal became the official property of Panama in 1999.

• A distance of approximately 80 kilometers separates the Atlantic and Pacific entrances of the Canal.

• The journey through the Canal (not counting waiting time) can take up to 10 hours.

• There are three locks: Miraflores, Pedro Miguel and Gatun.

• The locks are over 300 meters wide and 300 meters long. Since some ships cannot use the Canal because they are too large, widening work is currently underway.

• Ships passing through the Canal are loaded by weight – over US$200,000 for cargo ships!

• In 1928, a certain Richard Halliburton swam across the Canal and was charged 36 cents for his weight of 150 lbs…

• More than a thousand ships pass through the Canal each month, for nearly 14,000 recorded passages per year!

• Interesting, isn't it?