Where Is the Panama Canal?

The Panama Canal runs approximately 82 km across the narrowest part of the Isthmus of Panama, from the port city of Colón on the Caribbean/Atlantic side to Panama City on the Pacific side. Unlike what many assume, the canal runs roughly northwest to southeast: ships travelling from the Atlantic to the Pacific actually exit the canal further east than where they entered due to the S-shape of the isthmus. The canal uses a system of three lock sets (Gatun, Pedro Miguel, and Miraflores) to raise ships 26 metres to the level of Gatun Lake, an artificial lake created by damming the Chagres River. About 14,000 vessels transit the canal each year, carrying about 5% of global trade.