The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the Isthmus of Panama. The United States took over construction of the canal from France in 1904 after thousands of French workers had died from disease. Building the canal was a massive engineering challenge that involved cutting a 51 mile path through jungle and mountains. The canal features giant locks that raise and lower ships as they pass between freshwater Gatun Lake and the ocean. When it opened in 1914, the canal significantly reduced travel times between the oceans and boosted international trade.