The building of the Panama Canal (an engineering feat at the time), connects the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Oceans and ships can traverse through a series of locks that raises or lowers a vessel. The canal provides economic relief not only to the government but ship owners as well because a trip could be shortened by eight days travel time, if one uses the canal rather than the full route to the tip of South America.
President Theodore Roosevelt of the US saw the necessity of an economic opportunity, fulfilled this single endeavor. As ships coming from the west coast will have a relatively shorter time as it navigate to the east coast or vice-versa. Thus passengers, goods and services from New York City bound for San Francisco or Los Angeles will arrive more promptly through the canal.
The project had also its share of difficulties, essentially since Columbia (Panama was still a part) was not receptive to the idea. Probably due to the backing of the US, Panama seceded from Columbia and with a series of treaties with the new nation, the building of the canal pushed through.
Out of this new development, the new
National Flag of Panama was born and officially adopted on December 15, 1949. The flag of the republic is a divided rectangle of four quarters, the upper part near the hoist is white with a five pointed blue star, while on the fly side is red; the lower part hoist side is blue and on the fly is white with a five pointed red star.
The colors blue and red represent the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, while white stands for peace and purity.
by:
The Flagman
