Panama Canal

        The canal is joining the atlantic and pacific oceans. It runs from Cristobal on lemon bay, a part of the Caribbean sea, to Balboa, on the Gulf of Panama. The canal is slightly more than 64 km long, not including the dredged approach channels at either end. The minimum depth is 12.5 m, and the minimum width is 91.5 m. The construction of the canal ranks as one of the greatest engineering works of all time.                  In history …

…slides added about 25 % to the estamated amount of earth moved . The final cost of the canal was $ 336 million .         In 1977 the United States and Panama agreed on two treaties to replace their 1903 agreement . These treadies provided for Panama's sovereignty over the canal zone shortly after their ratification and it control of the canal itself at the beginning of 2000 , but left the United States the right to defend the canal even thereafter . The treaties took affect in 1979 .