The Panama Canal officially opened on August 15, 1914, after nearly a decade of construction by the United Sta

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The Panama Canal officially opened on August 15, 1914, after nearly a decade of construction by the United States—following a failed attempt by the French in the late 1800s. Over 75,000 workers were involved, and more than 25,000 lives were lost during both efforts, largely due to tropical diseases before the role of mosquitoes in spreading malaria and yellow fever was understood.

Engineered under the leadership of John Frank Stevens and later George Washington Goethals, the canal uses massive lock chambers, gates, and culverts—operating entirely by gravity with no pumps. The water comes from Gatun Lake, itself an artificial creation. Today, the canal handles over 14,000 ships annually, serving as a critical artery for global trade between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

,PanamaCanal ,EngineeringHistory ,GlobalTrade

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