When did the Panama Canal officially open?

The Panama Canal officially opened on August 15, 1914, marking a significant engineering achievement and a pivotal development in global maritime trade. The canal greatly reduced travel time for ships, allowing them to pass between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without having to navigate around the southern tip of South America. The construction of the canal was a formidable challenge, marked by engineering difficulties and health issues such as diseases like malaria and yellow fever, which claimed many lives during its construction. The opening of the canal changed shipping routes and contributed to the economic growth of the countries involved in maritime trade.