| Panama Canal A ship canal, about 82 km (51 mi) long, crossing the Isthmus of Panama in the Canal Zone and connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It was begun by the French in 1881, but the project was abandoned in 1889. The United States gained construction rights after Panama declared its independence in 1903, and the canal was opened to traffic on August 15, 1914. A 1977 treaty stipulated that the Panamanians gained full rights of sovereignty over the canal on December 31, 1999. |
Panama Canal
n
(Placename) a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: extends from Colón on the Caribbean Sea southeast to Balboa on the Gulf of Panama; built by the US (1904-14), after an unsuccessful previous attempt (1880-89) by the French under de Lesseps. Length: 64 km (40 miles)
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| Noun | 1. |  Panama Canal - a ship canal 40 miles long across the Isthmus of Panama built by the United States (1904-1914)Panama, Republic of Panama - a republic on the Isthmus of Panama; achieved independence from Colombia in 1903 |
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