This is the illustrated story of how a jungle was conquered and the world made smaller! For the French in 1881 and then the Americans in 1903, it all seemed so simple: Panama was less than fifty miles wide. How difficult could it be to build a canal across it? The answer was "tragically difficult". Panama was a disease-ridden jungle death trap. It's mountainous rain forest was a challenge to the most brilliant engineers. Its oppressive heat exhausted the hardiest workers. But somehow the Panama Canal was built, and its story is one of genius and heroism. It represents the spirit of an age when no task was thought impossible and not price too high to pay...This work is illustrated throughout with detailed colour artwork by Fernando Rangel. "Wonders of the World" - the award-winning series tells the stories behind humanity's most extraordinary creations.