Question

Which canal has shortened the distance between the eastern and western coasts of North America? What is its economic significance?

Answer 1

Panama canal has shortened the distance between the eastern and western coasts of North America. This canal connects the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west.
Its economic significance are:

• The canal is about 72 km. long and involves a very deep cutting for a length of 12 km.
• It has a six-lock system and ships cross the different levels (26 m up and down) through these locks before entering the Gulf of Panama.
• It shortens the distance between New York and San Francisco by 13,000 km by sea.
• Likewise, the distance between Western Europe and the West Coast of the U.S.A.; and North-eastern and Central U.S.A. and East and South-east Asia is shortened.
• The economic significance of this Canal is relatively less than that of the Suez. However, it is vital to the economies of Latin America.