Quiz on the Panama Canal

Who was the first European to discover that the Isthmus of Panama was just a slim land bridge separating the Atlantic and Pacific oceans?

• Ferdinand de Lesseps

• Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla

• Gustave Eiffel

• Vasco Nunez de Balboa

Which two famous structures were connected to the failed effort to build a canal across Panama?

• The Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China

• The Great Wall of China and the Suez Canal

• The Statue of Liberty and the Great Wall of China

• The Suez Canal and the Eiffel Tower

Which country originally wanted to build a canal in Nicaragua instead of Panama?

• Colombia

• France

• United States

• China

How many workers died during the construction of the Panama Canal?

• 25,000

• 5,600

• 20,000

• 10,000

Which country uses the Panama Canal the most?

• China

• United States

• Colombia

• South Korea

When did the United States transfer control of the canal to Panama?

• 1903

• 1964

• 1977

• 1999

What was the purpose of the $5.25 billion expansion project of the Panama Canal?

• To build a new set of locks

• To widen and deepen existing navigational channels

• To handle post-Panamax ships

• All of the above

How long does it take for a ship to pass through the Panama Canal on average?

• 4 to 6 hours

• 8 to 10 hours

• 2 to 4 hours

• 6 to 8 hours

Who signed the treaties that transferred control of the canal to Panama?

• Ferdinand de Lesseps and Gustave Eiffel

• Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla and Theodore Roosevelt

• Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos

• John Hay and Charles V

Which ships are too big to pass through the new locks of the Panama Canal?

• Maersk’s Triple E class ships

• American cargo vessels

• Japanese cargo vessels

• Chinese cargo vessels