Panama Canal Zone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Panama Canal Zone Zona del Canal de Panamá
Former Territory of United States
← 1903–1979 →
Flag Coat of arms
Motto The Land Divided, The World United
Capital city		Balboa
History
-	Established	1903
-	Disestablished	1979
Today part of		Panama

The Panama Canal Zone (Spanish: Zona del Canal de Panamá) is a 553-square-mile (1,430 km²) former unorganized United States territory. It is now the country of Panama.

In 1903, the territory was controlled by the United States. As a part of the United States, the zone had several towns and military bases.

The Zone was disestablished in October 1, 1979 as part of a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos, the unofficial leader of Panama.

The Panama Canal was operated by the United States until December 31, 1999, when it returned to Panama.

History

The treaty was approved by the provisional Panamanian government on December 2, 1903, and by the US Senate on February 23, 1903. While the treaty was approved, the Panamanians received US$10 million, much of which the United States required to be invested in that country. The Canal Zone was formally turned over by Panama on May 4, 1904, when American officials reopened the Panama City offices of the canal company and raised the American flag.

Notable people

• John McCain – U.S. Senator from Arizona and the Republican nominee for President for the 2008 US presidential election

Images for kids

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  Map of the area before canal construction

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  Panama Canal Zone Map of completed canal, 1911
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  Charts of excavation progress and contribution to the canal excavation

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  Map of the Panama Canal Zone

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  Canal Zone Courthouse, site of the Canal Zone District Court which existed from 1914 until 1982.

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  Gorgas Hospital was built by the French as L'Hospital Notre Dame de Canal in 1882, renamed Ancon Hospital when the U.S. assumed control in 1904, rebuilt in 1915 and finally renamed in honor of William C. Gorgas in 1928. It is now home to Panama's Ministry of Health and the Instituto Oncologico Nacional.

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  Howard Air Force Base in 1970

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  Abandoned theatre in Fort Davis (2011)

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  Two Canal Zone stamps showing precancels.

See also

In Spanish: Zona del Canal de Panamá para niños