Panama Canal Zone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Panama Canal Zone
Zona del Canal de Panamá
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| Former Territory of United States | |||||||||
| 1903–1979 | |||||||||
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Capital | Balboa | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| • Motto | The Land Divided, The World United | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Established
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1903 | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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1979 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Panama | ||||||||
The Panama Canal Zone (Spanish: Zona del Canal de Panamá) was a special area of land that used to belong to the United States. It was about 553 square miles (1,432 square kilometers) big. Today, this land is part of the country of Panama.
The United States took control of this area in 1903. It was like a small piece of the U.S. located in Panama. There were towns and military bases there for American citizens and soldiers.
The Panama Canal Zone stopped being a U.S. territory on October 1, 1979. This happened because of an agreement, called a treaty, signed in 1977. Jimmy Carter, who was the U.S. President, and Omar Torrijos, the leader of Panama, signed this important treaty.
The United States continued to run the Panama Canal itself until December 31, 1999. After that date, the canal was fully returned to Panama.
History of the Canal Zone
The agreement to create the Canal Zone was approved by Panama's temporary government on December 2, 1903. The U.S. Senate also approved it on February 23, 1903. As part of this agreement, Panama received 10 million U.S. dollars. The United States asked that much of this money be invested in Panama.
The Canal Zone was officially given to the United States by Panama on May 4, 1904. On that day, American officials reopened the canal company's offices in Panama City. They also raised the American flag over the area.
Famous People from the Zone
- John McCain – He was a U.S. Senator from Arizona. He was also the Republican candidate for President in the 2008 U.S. 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 -
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
