Panama Canal: Challenges and Solutions

The Panama Canal, a crucial global trade route, faces a water shortage due to climate change, impacting shipping and causing traffic jams. Historically, its construction was fraught with challenges, but the US successfully completed it with innovative engineering. Today, droughts threaten its operation, prompting plans for new reservoirs, though these face legal and environmental hurdles. Alternative routes in Nicaragua and Mexico are being considered. The canal's future remains uncertain, but its historical significance as an engineering marvel endures.

What is the primary reason for the Panama Canal's current water shortage?

• Poor maintenance of the canal

• Climate change reducing rainfall

• Expansion of the canal's locks

• Increased shipping traffic

How much of the world's shipping passes through the Panama Canal?

• 10%

• 6%

• 15%

• 20%

Who was the French engineer initially responsible for the Panama Canal project?

• Claude Monet

• Louis Pasteur

• Ferdinand de Lesseps

• Gustav Eiffel

What was the innovative solution used by the Americans to complete the Panama Canal?

• Employing a larger workforce

• Using advanced steam shovels

• Constructing locks to raise ships

• Building a sea-level canal

What is the main challenge the Panama Canal faces due to its reliance on the rainy season?

• Increased shipping fees

• Water level fluctuations

• Increased maintenance costs

• Limited ship capacity

What was the impact of the 2015 El Niño on the Panama Canal?

• Increased rainfall

• Expansion of the canal

• Severe drought

• Higher shipping costs

What is one proposed solution to address the water shortage in the Panama Canal?

• Creating a new reservoir

• Increasing shipping fees

• Reducing ship traffic

• Building a new set of locks

Which country is considering building a canal as an alternative to the Panama Canal?

• Belarus

• Nicaragua

• Mexico

• Colombia

What is the name of Mexico's project that could challenge the Panama Canal?

• Central American Canal

• Trans-Mexican Railway

• Interoceanic Corridor

• Mexican Shipping Route

What is the potential future of the Panama Canal in global trade?

• It will remain the only option

• It will become one of many options

• It will be closed permanently

• It will be expanded further