or Panama Canal Zone Strip of territory, a historic administrative entity in Panama over which the U.S. formerly exercised jurisdictional rights (1903-79). The zone came into being in 1904 when Panama granted the U.S., in return for annual payments, sole right to operate and control the Panama Canal, including a strip of land 10 mi (16 km) wide along the canal extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and bisecting the Isthmus of Panama. The zone was abolished by treaty in 1979, and civil control of the territory was returned to Panama. By the same treaty a commission under joint U.S.-Panamanian ownership was established to operate the canal until the year 2000, when Panama assumed full control
The territory within Panama, stretching along the course of the Panama Canal but excluding the sea port cities Panama City and Colon, which was exclusively administered by the U.S.A. (which appointed governors) under the 18 November 1903 lease treaty, even before the canal opened (in 1914), until the return of state control on 30 September 1979, after which only the canal itself remained under the US-controlled Panama Canal Commission till 1999
The territory, stretching around the course of the Suez Canal (built and administered by the Suez Canal Company), of which Britain took full control (appointing governors in Port Suez, also the posting of British (Vice) Consuls) from 14 November 1936 until its return to Egypt in 1956