Are you ready to navigate through history and geography with our Panama Canal trivia? Challenge yourself with questions about the engineering marvel that changed global shipping forever. From its construction obstacles to the presidents who played pivotal roles, this quiz dives deep into the fascinating story behind the canal.
Whether you’re a history buff, a geography enthusiast, or just love impressive feats of human achievement, discovering the secrets of the Panama Canal is both enlightening and fun. Test your knowledge about the dates, the key figures, and the technical details that make this waterway a vital link between two oceans.
Once you’ve sailed through this quiz, keep the momentum going with more intriguing challenges like our anatomy trivia, delve into the world of 90s music trivia, or explore the magic of Disney with our Disneyland trivia. There’s a whole sea of fascinating trivia waiting for you to conquer!
Which two oceans does the Panama Canal connect?
the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans
the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
the Atlantic and Indian Oceans
the Atlantic and Indian Oceans
the Indian and Pacific Oceans
the Indian and Pacific Oceans
How long is the Panama Canal?
75 miles
75 miles
25 miles
25 miles
100 miles
100 miles
48 miles
48 miles
What is the name of the lake formed by the Panama Canal?
Chagres Lake
Chagres Lake
Gatun Lake
Gatun Lake
Miraflores Lake
Miraflores Lake
Pedro Miguel Lake
Pedro Miguel Lake
On what date was the Panama Canal formally opened?
December 31, 1999
December 31, 1999
January 1, 1904
January 1, 1904
August 15, 1914
August 15, 1914
July 4, 1910
July 4, 1910
Why did the U.S. build the Panama Canal?
to control global shipping routes
to control global shipping routes
to reduce travel time to speed up trade
to reduce travel time to speed up trade
to conquer new territories
to conquer new territories
to create jobs for its citizens
to create jobs for its citizens
Which U.S. president helped the Republic of Panama gain independence and received a lease of land around the canal zone?
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Approximately how many million gallons of water are used in each transit through the Panama Canal?
250 million
250 million
10 million
10 million
52 million
52 million
100 million
100 million
What was a major problem for building the Panama Canal?
political instability in Panama
political instability in Panama
lack of skilled labor
lack of skilled labor
malaria and yellow fever
malaria and yellow fever
tsunamis and floods
tsunamis and floods
Which country first attempted to build a canal across Panama in the 1880s?
France
France
Great Britain
Great Britain
Spain
Spain
Germany
Germany
How many years did it take for the United States to complete the construction of the Panama Canal?
20 years
20 years
5 years
5 years
10 years
10 years
30 years
30 years
Approximately how many workers died of injury and disease during the construction of the Panama Canal?
100,000
100,000
25,000
25,000
50,000
50,000
5,000
5,000
In what year was ownership of the Panama Canal fully transferred from the United States to Panama?
1977
1977
1999
1999
1989
1989
2005
2005
Which U.S. president was responsible for turning the Panama Canal over to Panama?
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
In what year was a major expansion of the Panama Canal completed?
2010
2010
2020
2020
2016
2016
2000
2000
How much more cargo is one ship able to bring through the Panama Canal than before the 2016 expansion?
Twice as much
Twice as much
Half as much
Half as much
Three times as much
Three times as much
Five times as much
Five times as much
How many pairs of locks do the Gatun locks consist of?
1
1
4
4
3
3
2
2
What was the name of the first ship to pass through the Panama Canal?
SS Miraflores
SS Miraflores
USS Ancon
USS Ancon
SS Cristobal
SS Cristobal
SS Panama
SS Panama
When was the Panama Canal completed?
1920
1920
1904
1904
1914
1914
1910
1910
In what year did the United States begin constructing the Panama Canal?
1901
1901
1899
1899
1904
1904
1907
1907
At the time negotiations began on building the Panama Canal, which country owned the Isthmus of Panama?
Mexico
Mexico
Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Panama
Panama
Colombia
Colombia
When did the first step in transferring ownership of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama take place?
October 1, 1979
October 1, 1979
July 4, 1980
July 4, 1980
January 1, 1977
January 1, 1977
December 31, 1999
December 31, 1999
Who was in charge of the failed canal project in Panama in 1879?
William Crawford Gorgas
William Crawford Gorgas
Ferdinand de Lesseps
Ferdinand de Lesseps
Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel
Count Philippe Bunau-Varilla
Count Philippe Bunau-Varilla
Which Spanish ruler was the first to suggest the construction of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama?
King Charles
King Charles
King Philip II
King Philip II
Queen Isabella
Queen Isabella
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
In what year did King Charles order the Isthmus of Panama to be surveyed for a possible canal site?.
1700
1700
1520
1520
1492
1492
1600
1600
How many pairs of locks do the Miraflores locks consist of?
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
You can do better
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Test your knowledge of global landmarks and history with our Panama Canal trivia! Ready for more? Try your hand at 90s music, anatomy, or Disneyland trivia for a fun challenge across various topics.
