Pan-American Highway

{{Short description|Network of roads in the Americas}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Redirect|Panamericana|the film|Panamericana (film)}} {{Distinguish|CANAMEX Corridor}} {{More citations needed|date=February 2021}} {{infobox road |name=Pan–American Highway |map=PanAmericanHwy.png |map_notes=The Pan-American Highway from [[Prudhoe Bay, Alaska|Prudhoe Bay]], United States, to [[Quellón]], Chile, and [[Ushuaia]], Argentina, with official and unofficial routes shown in Mexico and Central and South America. A few selected unofficial routes are shown through the United States and Canada as they existed in the early 1960s. In 1966, the new U.S. [[Interstate Highway System]] brought official status to most previously unofficial routes in the [[contiguous United States]]. |established= |direction_a=North |direction_b=South |length_mi= |length_ref= |section1=North American segment |length_mi1= |length_ref1= |terminus_a1=[[Prudhoe Bay, Alaska|Prudhoe Bay]], United States |terminus_b1=[[Yaviza]], Panama |section2=South American segment |length_mi2= |length_ref2= |terminus_a2=[[Turbo, Colombia|Turbo]], Colombia |terminus_b2=[[Ushuaia]], Argentina |countries='''North America:''' [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[Mexico]], [[Guatemala]], [[El Salvador]], [[Honduras]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Panama]]<br>'''South America:''' [[Colombia]], [[Ecuador]], [[Peru]], [[Chile]], [[Argentina]] |system='''[[Pan-American Highway]] system''' }} The '''Pan-American Highway''' is a vast network of roads that stretches about {{convert|30000|km|mi|sp=us}} from [[Prudhoe Bay, Alaska]], [[United States]], in the northernmost part of [[North America]], to [[Ushuaia]], [[Argentina]], at the southern tip of [[South America]]. It is recognized as the longest road in the world. The highway connects 14 countries: [[Canada]], the [[United States]], [[Mexico]], [[Guatemala]], [[El Salvador]], [[Honduras]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Costa Rica]], [[Panama]], [[Colombia]], [[Ecuador]], [[Peru]], [[Chile]], and [[Argentina]].

No road in the U.S. (except Alaska) or Canada is officially designated as part of the Pan-American Highway, which officially begins at the U.S.-Mexico border in [[Nuevo Laredo]] and runs south.

The Pan-American Highway is interrupted at the [[Darién Gap]], a roadless, dense rainforest area between Panama and Colombia. No road traverses the Gap, and no car ferries have operated in the area for decades; drivers often opt to send their car by cargo ship from one country to the other. This means North and South America are separated.

==Concept of the highway== The highway was built in stages. The first, not long after one could drive across the United States on a paved road, was the highway from [[Laredo, Texas]] to Mexico City. The second stage was the Inter-American Highway to [[Panama City]]; previously there were no roads, and little commerce between most Central American countries. There was no road between Costa Rica and Panama until, concerned about access to the [[Panama Canal]] in a war situation, the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] began a highway in 1941.<ref>{{cite news |title = The birth of the Pan-American Highway in Costa Rica |newspaper = [[Tico Times]] |first = Max |last = Schwartz |date = November 19, 2021 |url = https://ticotimes.net/2021/11/19/tbt-the-birth-of-the-pan-american-highway |archive-date = September 23, 2023 |access-date = November 20, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230923222110/https://ticotimes.net/2021/11/19/tbt-the-birth-of-the-pan-american-highway |url-status = live }}</ref>

The third stage, which has not been completed and may never be, continues onward to the southern tip of South America at [[Tierra del Fuego National Park]], near [[Ushuaia, Argentina]]. Both Panama and Colombia, as well as environmentalists, are opposed to building a highway through the [[Darién Gap]] that separates the two continents.

A Cuban proposal that was not carried out was to include a "circuito del Caribe" (Caribbean circuit). This would have expanded the highway to [[Puerto Juárez]], Mexico ([[Cancún]]), and from there by ferry to [[Pinar del Río, Cuba]], from there by road to Havana, and by ferry again to [[Key West]], Florida, and the [[Overseas Highway]].<ref>{{cite book |title = La Carretera Panamericana y el circuito del Caribe: Pinar del Río, puente de América: conferencia pronunciada en la sesión celebrada por el Club de Leones de la Habana, en el Hotel Sevilla, el martes 15 de septiembre de 1953 |first = José Manuel |last = Cortina |location = Havana |publisher = none |edition = 2nd |year = 1957 |orig-date = 1954 |oclc = 27001400 }}</ref> The deterioration of relations between Cuba and the U.S. after the [[Cuban Revolution]] of 1959 ended talk of this project.

==Development and construction== [[File:Pan American Highway - DPLA - 7f0fcead9e4524c25c1d3efc9dde78b7.jpg|thumb|right|1946 map of the Pan-American Highway (outside the United States)]] The concept of an overland route from one tip of the Americas to the other was originally proposed as a railroad. In 1884 the U.S. Congress passed a law with a plan to build an inter-American rail system.<ref name=Hot>{{cite book |title = Hot spot: Latin America |last = Dent |first = David W. |url = https://archive.org/details/hotspotlatinamer0000dent/page/n7/mode/2up?q=978 |date = 2008 |location = Westport, Connecticut |publisher = [[Greenwood Press]] |page = 84 |isbn = 978-0-313-33661-4 }}</ref> This was discussed at the [[First International Conference of American States|First Pan-American Conference]] in 1889; however, construction never started. It was abandoned in concept after the independence of Panama in 1903, when work on the canal began.<ref name=Hot/>

The concept of building a highway, rather than a railroad, emerged at the Fifth [[Pan-American Conference|International Conference of American States]] in 1923, after the automobile and other vehicles had begun to replace railroads for both passenger and goods transportation. The first conference regarding the construction of the highway opened in Buenos Aires on October 3, 1925.<ref>"U.S. Gives Road Building Tips at Pan-American Meet", ''Chicago Daily Tribune'', October 4, 1925, p.2</ref>

Finally, on July 29, 1937, in the latter years of the [[Great Depression]], Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Canada, and the United States signed the ''Convention on the Pan-American Highway'', whereby they agreed to achieve speedy construction, by all adequate means.<ref>[http://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/LON/Volume%20188/v188.pdf Text of the Convention] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216062957/https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/LON/Volume%20188/v188.pdf |date=February 16, 2022 }}.</ref> Thirteen years later, in 1950, Mexico became the first Latin American country to complete its portion of the highway.<ref name=Silverstein>{{cite magazine |title = Highway Run |magazine = Harper's |pages = 70–80 |date = July 2006 }}</ref>

No single route in the United States (except in Alaska) has been designated, much less marked, as the U.S. portion of the Pan-American Highway. However, [[Interstate 25|I-25]] is labeled as the Pan-American freeway in states such as New Mexico and Colorado. According to the federal Department of Transportation, the [[Interstate Highway System]] is the United States' section of the highway. In Canada the highway is not marked. Much of the highway in Latin America is marked as {{lang|es|Vía Panam}} or {{lang|es|Vía Panamericana}}.

==Countries served== [[Image:Alaska Highway1.png|thumb|Map of the ''Alaska Highway'' portion (in red) of the Pan-American Highway system.]]

The Northern Pan-American Highway travels through 14 countries, including in Central America:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alikpala |first=Gidget |date=2023-04-11 |title=Where does the Pan-American Highway start and finish? How long is it? |url=https://en.as.com/latest_news/where-does-the-pan-american-highway-start-and-finish-how-long-is-it-n/ |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=AS USA |language=en-us |archive-date=December 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202234632/https://en.as.com/latest_news/where-does-the-pan-american-highway-start-and-finish-how-long-is-it-n/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}} * Canada ([[CANAMEX Corridor]] unofficial) * United States ([[Interstate Highway System]] official) * Mexico * Guatemala * El Salvador * Honduras * Nicaragua * Costa Rica * Panama {{div col end}}

The Southern Pan-American Highway travels through five countries:

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}} * Colombia * Ecuador * Peru * Chile * Argentina {{div col end}}

Important spurs also connect with four other South American countries:

* Bolivia * Brazil * Paraguay * Uruguay

==Northern section== ===Alaska=== The [[Alaska Highway]] through Alaska, [[Yukon]] and [[British Columbia]] is commonly considered a ''[[de facto]]'' northerly extension of the Pan-American Highway, which continues further north with the [[Dalton Highway]] in Alaska. With this route, the Pan-American Highway begins in [[Prudhoe Bay, Alaska|Prudhoe Bay]], near [[Deadhorse, Alaska|Deadhorse]]. Traveling south, the route follows the length of the [[Dalton Highway]] (Alaska Route 11) changing to [[Alaska Route 2]], the Alaskan portion of the Alaska Highway, near [[Fairbanks, Alaska|Fairbanks]], Alaska. From Fairbanks, the route follows Alaska Route 2 southeast to the [[Canada–United States border]] southeast of [[Northway, Alaska|Northway]], Alaska, and adjacent to the [[Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge]].

===Canada=== In Canada, no particular road has been officially designated as the Pan-American Highway. The [[National Highway System (Canada)|National Highway System]], which includes but is not limited to the [[Trans-Canada Highway]], is the country's only official inter-provincial highway system. However, several Canadian highways are a natural extension of several key American highways that reach the Canada–US border. [[British Columbia Highway 97]] and Highway 2 to Alberta both pick up where the southern end of the Alaska highway leaves off. Highway 97 becomes [[U.S. Route 97]] at the Canada–US border. [[British Columbia Highway 99]] provides an alternate route from Highway 97 just north of [[Cache Creek, British Columbia|Cache Creek]]; it runs through [[Whistler, British Columbia|Whistler]] and [[Vancouver]] before ending at the Canada–US border at the north end of Interstate 5 in [[Washington (state)|Washington state]], the beginning of the official Pan-American route south of British Columbia. Meanwhile, [[Alberta Highway 2]] runs south and east to [[Alberta Highway 3]] leading into [[Lethbridge]], then south on [[Alberta Highway 4]] to the Canada–US border, where it becomes [[Interstate 15]] in [[Montana]]. This is the first official stretch of the Pan-American Highway south of the Alberta route, both of which are also part of the [[CANAMEX Corridor]].

==== Yukon ==== Crossing the border into Canada, Alaska Highway 2 turns into Yukon Highway 1. The first significant settlement along the way is [[Beaver Creek, Yukon]]. At [[Haines Junction]], where it meets [[Haines Highway|Yukon Highway 3]], Yukon Highway 1 turns east toward [[Whitehorse, Yukon|Whitehorse]], the capital of the [[Yukon|Yukon Territory]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hpw.gov.yk.ca/pdf/roadmap.pdf|title=Yukon road map|last=|first=|date=|website=www.hpw.gov.yk.ca|access-date=August 6, 2017|archive-date=April 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426194012/http://www.hpw.gov.yk.ca/pdf/roadmap.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Through most of Whitehorse, [[Klondike Highway|Yukon Highway 2]] and Yukon Highway 1 share an alignment. Yukon Highway 1 cuts southeast toward [[Marsh Lake, Yukon]] while Yukon Highway 2 cuts south to [[Skagway, Alaska|Skagway]], Alaska. Eventually, Yukon Highway 1 intersects with [[Tagish Road|Yukon Highway 8]] and [[Atlin Road|Yukon Highway 7]] at [[Jake's Corner, Yukon]]; the Pan-American Highway continues on Yukon 1 east-northeast from this junction.

At [[Johnson's Crossing, Yukon|Johnson's Crossing]], Yukon Highway 1 meets [[Canol Road|Yukon Highway 6]] and travels southeast through [[Teslin, Yukon]]. The Pan-American Highway continues on Yukon 1 as it crosses over into [[British Columbia]] (B. C.). After several miles, the Highway reenters the Yukon (once again as Highway 1) and continues southeast of [[Watson Lake, Yukon|Watson Lake]] until it, once again, enters British Columbia as B.C. Highway 97.

==== British Columbia ==== After travelling about {{cvt|8|km|mi|0}} past the British Columbia–Yukon border, the Pan-American Highway reaches the first settlement in British Columbia at [[Lower Post, British Columbia|Lower Post]]. After travelling about {{cvt|32|km|mi}} east, the highway ''once again'' re-enters the Yukon for roughly {{cvt|8|mi|km|0}}. The Highway then re-enters British Columbia (as BC 97) for the final time. The Pan-American Highway continues south to southeast through a long uninhabited stretch until it passes through the villages of [[Fireside, British Columbia|Fireside]] and [[Coal River, British Columbia|Coal River]], then runs east parallel to the [[Liard River]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hellobc.com/getmedia/0de8a359-2d38-4200-bc5e-5bb5ee763c41/maps-british-columbia.aspx|title=Road map of British Columbia|last=|first=|date=|website=www.hellobc.com|access-date=August 6, 2017|archive-date=September 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902193328/http://www.hellobc.com/getmedia/0de8a359-2d38-4200-bc5e-5bb5ee763c41/maps-british-columbia.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Pan-American Highway continues on B.C. Highway 97 as it passes through [[Toad River, British Columbia|Toad River Post]], and then Summit Lake, which is nested between Stone Mountain and Mount Saint George. Further down the road, B.C. Highway 97 intersects with B.C. Highway 77; the Pan-American Highway continues along B.C. 97 east to [[Fort Nelson, British Columbia|Fort Nelson]].

From Fort Nelson, the Highway travels south for about {{cvt|290|km|mi}} until it reaches [[Fort St. John, British Columbia|Fort St. John]]. It continues on B.C. Highway 97 southeast for another {{cvt|60|km|mi}} to reach the end of the Alaska Highway at [[Dawson Creek]].

==== Alberta ==== After B.C Highway 97, the unofficial route becomes [[Alberta Highway 43]]. In approximately {{cvt|7.2|km|mi}}, Highway 43 enters into the first settlement, Demmitt. For about {{cvt|75|km|mi}}, Highway 43 goes into [[Grande Prairie]]. At [[Clairmont, Alberta|Clairmont]], Highway 43, turns to [[Alberta Highway 2]], Highway 43 goes left. Highway 43 goes for {{cvt|455|km|mi}} before reaching [[Edmonton]]. The unofficial route turns two ways, one way goes to [[Lloydminster]], [[Minneapolis]], and [[Dallas]] and merges with the second way. The second way goes to [[Calgary]] and the US border.

===Contiguous United States=== [[File:I-35 nb ia exit 182.jpg|thumb|Interstate 35 in the U.S. state of Iowa. I-35 is a de facto branch of the Pan-American Highway.]] [[File:Interstate 25 approaching Santa Fe New Mexico.jpg|thumb|Interstate 25 in the U.S. state of New Mexico. I-25 is part of the other de facto branch, and is signed "Pan-American Freeway" in Albuquerque.]] In 1966, the U.S. [[Federal Highway Administration]] designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the Pan-American Highway System,<ref>{{cite book |author = [[American Automobile Association]] |title = American Motorist |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=yr8nAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Under+the+numerical%22 |year = c. 1974 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author = [[New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department]] |url = http://www.nmshtd.state.nm.us/upload/contents/445/Memorial.pdf |title = State of New Mexico Memorial Designations and Dedications of Highways, Structures and Buildings |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716081405/http://www.nmshtd.state.nm.us/upload/contents/445/Memorial.pdf |archive-date = July 16, 2011 |year = 2007 |page = 14 }}</ref> but this has not been expressed in any of the official interstate signage. Of the many freeways that make up this comprehensive system, several are notable because of their mainly north–south orientation and their links to the main Mexican route and its spurs, as well as to key routes in Canada that link to the Alaska Highway.

These include the following:

* [[Interstate 5]] runs north from the [[Mexico–United States border|Mexican border]] in [[San Diego]], California, to [[Blaine, Washington]], south of [[Vancouver, British Columbia]], then links indirectly with [[British Columbia Highway 99]] north of the Canada–US border. A technically direct link between the same interstate and the [[U.S. Route 97]] system can be found near [[Weed, California]]. US Route 97 runs northeast then north through Oregon and Washington from this junction, and becomes BC Highway 97 at the border with Canada. * [[Interstate 15]] links San Diego with [[Alberta Highway 2]] that eventually crosses into British Columbia and ends at the southern terminus of the Alaska Highway. [[Interstate 8]] provides an east–west link from San Diego to [[Interstate 10]] near [[Phoenix, Arizona]]. The latter continues to Tucson and links with [[Interstate 19]], which becomes a spur of the Pan-American highway through Mexico at the [[Nogales, Sonora|Nogales]] border crossing. * [[Interstate 25]] runs north from [[Interstate 10]] at [[Las Cruces, New Mexico|Las Cruces]], [[New Mexico]], to [[Interstate 90]] in [[Buffalo, Wyoming|Buffalo]], [[Wyoming]]. This route has no direct extension into Canada but links indirectly to Interstate 15. [[Interstate 25]] in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], was named the [[Pan-American Freeway]],<ref name="Bryan">{{cite book |last = Bryan |first = Howard |title = Albuquerque Remembered |publisher = [[University of New Mexico Press]] |location = Albuquerque |year = 1989 |isbn = 978-0826337825 |oclc = 62109913 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=rSQAbMtClsYC&q=%22Pan+American+Freeway%22+%22Coronado+Freeway%22&pg=PA248 |access-date = February 13, 2013 }}</ref>{{Rp|248}} as an extension of Highway 45, the Mexican spur linking El Paso to the original route along highway 85 north of Mexico City.<ref>{{cite web |publisher = Dirección General de Servicios Técnicos, [[Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes]] |title = Datos Viales de Hidalgo |url = http://dgst.sct.gob.mx/fileadmin/Viales_2011/13_HIDALGO.pdf |year = 2011 |language = es |page = 5 |access-date = January 26, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120514175616/http://dgst.sct.gob.mx/fileadmin/Viales_2011/13_HIDALGO.pdf |archive-date = May 14, 2012 }}</ref> This portion of I-25 largely follows the historic [[Camino Real de Tierra Adentro|Camino Real]], and thus serves a culturally significant portion of the Pan American system. Like I-15, the complete route of Interstate 25 is an official northerly continuation toward Alberta, where Highway 2 provides a direct but unofficial Canadian link to the Alaska Highway. * [[Interstate 35]] is a northerly continuation of the original Pan-American highway following Mexican Federal Highway 85. It extends from [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], Texas to the [[Canada–United States border]] north of [[Duluth, Minnesota|Duluth]], [[Minnesota]], with a spur, [[Interstate 29]], that leads farther west toward [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]]. The section of [[Interstate 35]] in [[San Antonio]], Texas, is referred to as the Pan Am Expressway by locals. I-35 is a northerly continuation of Mexico Highway 85, the original official Mexican route, ending in [[Duluth, Minnesota]], where [[Minnesota State Highway 61]] continues to the Canada–US border near [[Thunder Bay|Thunder Bay, Ontario]]. This route was first proposed in a 1932 bill{{Specify|date=May 2009}} introduced in the U.S. Congress. The Trans-Canada Highway provides a link from Winnipeg and Thunder Bay to Alberta and the Alaska Highway, but it is not officially part of the Pan-American Highway. * [[U.S. Route 81]] is claimed to be part of the Pan American Highway from [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], Kansas, to [[Watertown, South Dakota|Watertown]], South Dakota, where it runs separately from [[Interstate 29]]. * An additional route only partially complete is [[Interstate 69]], which will eventually run northeasterly from the Laredo [[Nuevo Laredo]] border crossing to the [[Quebec City–Windsor Corridor|Windsor–Quebec City Corridor]] in Canada, where the route becomes unofficial.

===Related North American highways===

Several North American routes have names that make no direct reference to the Pan-American Highway, in part because some sections follow highways that are not up to full freeway standard.

* The [[CANAMEX Corridor]] is designated from Mexico City to the western United States from Arizona to Montana,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.canamex.org/fed_def.asp |title = Federal Definition |publisher = Canamex coalition |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080110203215/http://www.canamex.org/fed_def.asp |archive-date = January 10, 2008 }}</ref> and continues north into western Canada. Although lacking any official status for the Pan American Highway in Canada, this is the only official North American highway that runs through Canada, the U.S., and Mexico to link the Alaska Highway with the Pan-American Highway at Mexico City. Unlike corresponding Pan American routes in the American southwest, the Canamex Highway bypasses San Diego by using several non-interstate highways to provide a shortcut from I-15 at [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] to I-10 at [[Phoenix, Arizona]] for traffic accessing I-15 from the Nogales border crossing. * The [[CanAm Highway]] follows Interstate 25 from El Paso to [[U.S. Route 85]] north of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], then continues into the Canadian province of [[Saskatchewan]], following parts of provincial highways 35, 39, 6, 3, and 2 in succession before terminating at [[La Ronge]]. This route was first proposed during the 1920s, but was never properly promoted or developed. A section of the CanAm in southern Saskatchewan has deteriorated to the point where it is no longer a paved highway.<ref name="SP">{{cite news |title = 'Super corridor' theories simply updated old idea |work = The Star Phoenix |date = August 28, 2007 |url = http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=5db32cc0-13b7-45b0-90ad-7f64d62db6f7&p=1 |access-date = April 15, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150301152639/http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=5db32cc0-13b7-45b0-90ad-7f64d62db6f7&p=1 |archive-date = March 1, 2015 }}</ref> * The [[NAFTA Superhighway]] tag has been unofficially used in connection with [[Interstate 35]] from Laredo, Texas to the Canadian border; there it downgrades to a non-freeway route ending at [[Thunder Bay]], Ontario. A spur follows [[Interstate 29]] to the border, where it also downgrades to an arterial highway that extends to [[Winnipeg]], Manitoba. The NAFTA highway sometimes unofficially includes [[Interstate 69]], which is mostly complete from western Kentucky to the Canada–US border at [[Port Huron, Michigan]]. In Canada, [[Ontario Highway 402]] and other freeways in the [[Quebec City–Windsor Corridor]] can be considered a northeastward extension of this version of the NAFTA superhighway. To the southwest, from western Kentucky to the Mexican border, there is no single superhighway yet completed. Pending completion of I-69, the main highway links to Mexico follow parts of US routes 45 and 51 from Kentucky to western Tennessee, I-155 into Missouri, parts of Interstates 55 and 40 from Missouri to Arkansas, and [[Interstate 30|I-30]] to the Texas stretch of I-35 that continues to the Mexican border at [[Laredo, Texas]]. The section of I-69 to be completed south of Kentucky is expected eventually to continue southwestward to the Texas Gulf Coast. It will have a spur linking to the original Pan-American route through Mexico to Laredo, and additional branches extending to the Mexican spurs that cross the border at [[Pharr, Texas]], and [[Brownsville, Texas]].

===Mexico=== [[Image:Inter-American Highway map October 1933.jpg|thumb|1933 map of the Inter-American Highway portion of the Pan-American Highway.]]

The official route of the Pan-American Highway through Mexico (where it is known as the [[Inter-American Highway]]) starts at [[Nuevo Laredo]], Tamaulipas (opposite [[Laredo, Texas]]), and goes south to Mexico City along [[Mexican Federal Highway 85]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Gruel Sández |first = Víctor Manuel |date = August 2017 |title = The opening of the Pan American Highway. Tourism and stereotypes between Mexico and United States |url = http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0187-69612017000200126&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=en |magazine = Estudios fronterizos |language = en |volume = 18 |issue = 36 |pages = 126–150 |doi = 10.21670/ref.2017.36.a06 |issn = 0187-6961 |access-date = December 2, 2023 |archive-date = December 2, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231202010051/https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S0187-69612017000200126&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=en |url-status = live }}</ref>

An alternative route begins at the border crossing between [[San Diego, California]] and [[Tijuana, Baja California]]. [[Interstate 5]] in the United States connects to Mexican Federal Highway 1 at the busiest international border crossing in the world. The Pan-American Highway continues south to Mexico City along two separate routes: historic [[Mexican Federal Highway 1]] and toll [[Mexican Federal Highway 1D]] via Baja California Peninsula or [[Mexican Federal Highway 2]] via the mainland.

The Pan-American Highway (as Mexico Highway 85D) enters Mexico City,<ref>[http://www.go-panamerican.com/road-tips.php "Road Tips."] (Pan-American Highway). [http://www.go-panamerican.com Go-panamerican.com]. Accessed June 2011.</ref> but downtown Mexico City can be bypassed using Mexico Highway 136 (a divided limited-access route) and Mexico Highway 115, which reconnects to Mexico Highway 95D south of the [[Mexican Federal District]].

Later branches were built to the border as follows:

* [[Nogales, Arizona|Nogales]] spur – [[Mexican Federal Highway 15]] from Mexico City * [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]] spur – [[Mexican Federal Highway 45]] from Highway 85 north of Mexico City to [[Ciudad Juárez]], [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]] * [[Eagle Pass, Texas|Eagle Pass]] spur – unknown, possibly [[Mexican Federal Highway 57]] from Mexico City to [[Piedras Negras, Coahuila]] * [[Pharr, Texas|Pharr]] spur – [[Mexican Federal Highway 40]] from [[Monterrey]] to [[Reynosa]], Tamaulipas * [[Brownsville, Texas|Brownsville]] spur – [[Mexican Federal Highway 101]] from [[Ciudad Victoria]] to [[Matamoros, Tamaulipas]]

From Mexico City to the border with [[Guatemala]], the highway follows [[Mexican Federal Highway 190]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher = Dirección General de Servicios Técnicos, [[Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes]] |title = Datos Viales de Puebla |url = http://dgst.sct.gob.mx/fileadmin/Viales_2011/21_PUEBLA.pdf |year = 2011 |language = es |pages = 2–3 |access-date = March 29, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120514181200/http://dgst.sct.gob.mx/fileadmin/Viales_2011/21_PUEBLA.pdf |archive-date = May 14, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher = Comisión Internacional de Límites y Aguas, [[Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores]] |title = Cruce fronterizo vehicular formal: Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, México — La Mesilla, Guatemala |url = http://portal.sre.gob.mx/cilasur/pdf/guatcrucelamesilla.pdf |language = es |pages = 1–2 |access-date = April 6, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher = Instituto Geografico National (IGN); Ministerio de Comunicaciones Infraestructura y Vivienda (CIV) |title = República de Guatemala – Red Vial con Distancias |url = http://www.siinsan.gob.gt/portals/0/pdf/RedVial.pdf |year = 2009 |language = es |access-date = April 9, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130511200100/http://www.siinsan.gob.gt/portals/0/pdf/RedVial.pdf |archive-date = May 11, 2013 }}</ref> In the inaugural [[Carrera Panamericana]] road race, organized by the Mexican government, the terminus of this southern route was said to be at [[Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chiapas]], at the Guatemalan border.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last = Freeman |author-first = J. Brian |title = "La carrera de la muerte": Death, Driving, and Rituals of Modernization in 1950s Mexico |magazine = Studies in Latin American Popular Culture |volume = 29 |pages = 2–23 |date = June 2011 |doi = 10.1353/sla.2011.0008 |s2cid = 145120707 |issn = 2157-2941 |url = https://www.utexaspressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.5555/slapc.2011.29.2?journalCode=slapc |quote = From Tuxtla, drivers made the final dash to the finish line in the small village of El Ocotal, struggling over the last 107 miles of still unpaved highway. }}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Specifically, as the Pan-American Highway continues south of Mexico City, it runs through the city of [[Cuernavaca]] about {{cvt|30|mi|km|order=flip}} south of the Mexican capital. Here, the Pan-American Highway heads east along [[Mexican Federal Highway 190|Federal Highway 190]] through the state of [[Puebla]]; for about {{cvt|32|km|mi}}, it is a limited-access divided highway. The route then reverts to an undivided highway and enters the state of [[Oaxaca]]. From [[Huajuapan de León]] to the Oaxaca state capital of [[Oaxaca, Oaxaca|Oaxaca]] is about {{cvt|140|km|mi}}.

From the city of Oaxaca, the Highway continues southeast as Mexico Highway 190 for about {{cvt|230|km|mi}} to the village of [[Juchitán de Zaragoza]]. The Pan-American Highway is now in southern Mexico, which is a combination of small mountains, hills, and jungles. It is another {{cvt|90|km|mi}} to the border with the state of [[Chiapas]] where the Highway crosses the [[Continental Divide]]. From the Oaxaca–Chiapas state border, it is {{cvt|160|km|mi}} to the Chiapas state capital of [[Tuxtla Gutiérrez]]. The Highway then crosses the [[Guatemala–Mexico border|Mexico–Guatemala border]] at [[Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chiapas|Ciudad Cuauhtémoc]].

===Central America=== [[Image:Panamericana-Chimaltenango-080215.jpg|thumb|Pan-American Highway in [[Chimaltenango]] (Guatemala), 2015.]]

The Pan-American (or Inter-American) highway passes through the Central American countries with the highway designation of CA-1 (Central American Highway 1). [[Belize]] was supposedly included in the route at one time, after it switched to driving on the right. Before independence, as British Honduras, it was the only Central American country to drive on the left side of the road.<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Swayne |first = Eric |date = 1917 |title = British Honduras |jstor = 1779904 |magazine = The Geographical Journal |volume = 50 |issue = 3 |pages = 161–175 |doi = 10.2307/1779904 |issn = 0016-7398 }}</ref>

====Guatemala==== Upon crossing into Guatemala, Mexico Highway 190 becomes Central America Highway 1 and continues for about {{cvt|80|km|mi}} from the border village of [[La Mesilla]] to the city of [[Huehuetenango]] near the [[Maya civilization|Maya]] ruins of [[Zaculeu]]. The Pan-American Highway crosses the Continental Divide again and into the [[Sierra de los Cuchumatanes]] mountains.

From Huehuetenango to [[Chimaltenango]] is roughly {{cvt|160|km|mi}} with Mayan ruins at [[Iximché]], just north of [[Tecpán Guatemala]]. From Chimaltenango, it is about {{cvt|35|to|40|km|mi}} to [[Guatemala City]], as a divided highway.

From Guatemala City to [[Cuilapa]] it is only partially a divided highway for {{cvt|50|km|mi}} and another {{cvt|55|km|mi}} to [[Jutiapa]]. The highway continues as CA Highway 1 and approaches the [[Guatemala–El Salvador border|border with El Salvador]]. It is {{cvt|50|km|mi}} to the border crossing at San Cristobal Frontera.

In Guatemala, the Pan-American highway passes through 10 [[Departments of Guatemala|departments]], including [[Guatemala Department|The Department of Guatemala]], where it passes through [[Guatemala City]].

====El Salvador==== [[File:Panamericana_Oeste_To_Ahuachapan_-_by_SCP.jpg|thumb|Carretera Panamericana westbound at [[Nejapa]]. Note "CA-1 A", signage for alternative CA-1, north bypass of San Salvador.]] [[El Salvador]] is the smallest country (by area) along the route of the Pan-American Highway. After crossing into El Salvador at [[Candelaria de la Frontera]], the Inter-American Highway continues toward [[Santa Ana, El Salvador|Santa Ana]] as Central America Highway 1. From the border crossing to Santa Ana is about {{cvt|13|km|mi}}.

From Santa Ana, this is a divided highway all along its {{cvt|45|km|mi}} to [[San Salvador, El Salvador]]'s capital and largest city. At [[Nueva San Salvador]], the highway passes near the Volcano de San Salvador.

From San Salvador to [[Cojutepeque]] is about {{cvt|15|km|mi}}; following the highway southeast to [[San Miguel, El Salvador|San Miguel]] is about {{cvt|65|km|mi}}; the divided highway ends at San Vicente. From San Miguel to the [[El Salvador–Honduras border]] is about {{cvt|30|km|mi}}.

In El Salvador, the highway also passes through the cities of [[Santa Tecla, El Salvador|Santa Tecla]], [[Antiguo Cuscatlán]], and [[San Martín, San Salvador|San Martín]].

====Honduras==== The highway crosses the border into Honduras at El Amatillo near [[Nacaome]] ({{cvt|40|km|mi}} from border). Just past Nacaome is a highway traveling north to [[Tegucigalpa]], the capital of Honduras. Traveling south, it is {{cvt|40|km|mi}} to [[Choluteca, Choluteca|Choluteca]], the fourth-largest city in Honduras. From Choluteca to the border crossing, just past [[San Marcos de Colón]], is about {{cvt|68|km|mi}}. The Pan-American Highway's total distance in Honduras is about {{cvt|148|km|mi}}.

====Nicaragua==== From Honduras, it passes into Nicaragua at [[El Espino, Nicaragua|El Espino]], passing through the Nicaraguan cities of [[Somoto]], [[Estelí]], Sebaco, [[Managua]], [[Jinotepe]], and [[Rivas, Nicaragua|Rivas]] before entering Costa Rica at Peñas Blancas.

From the crossing at the [[Honduras–Nicaragua border]], the highway continues as Central America Highway 1 to the town of [[Ocotal]], about {{cvt|42|km|mi}}. From Ocotal to [[Estelí]] is about {{cvt|58|km|mi}}, and on to the village of [[Sébaco]] is about {{cvt|46|km|mi}}. At this point, the Inter-American Highway turns from southeast to south towards [[Ciudad Darío]], which is {{cvt|15|km|mi}} from Sébaco. From Ciudad Dario to the village of [[San Benito, Nicaragua|San Benito]] is {{cvt|55|km|mi}}.

From San Benito, it is about {{cvt|38|km|mi}} to Nicaragua's capital and largest city, [[Managua]], on the shores of [[Lake Managua]]. From Managua south to the town of [[Jinotepe, Carazo|Jinotepe]] is about {{cvt|50|km|mi}}, and Jinotepe to the town of [[Rivas, Nicaragua|Rivas]] is about {{cvt|70|km|mi}}. Around this area the Highway is in view of [[Lake Nicaragua]], which is the largest lake in Central America. From Rivas to the [[Nicaragua–Costa Rica border]] is about {{cvt|35|km|mi}}.

====Costa Rica==== In Costa Rica, the Pan-American Highway is known as {{lang|es|Carretera Interamericana}} (Inter-American Highway) and is composed of two segments [[National Route 1 (Costa Rica)|Carretera Interamericana Norte]] (Route 1) and [[National Route 2 (Costa Rica)|Carretera Interamericana Sur]] (Route 2).

It passes through [[Liberia, Costa Rica|Liberia]], [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]], [[Cartago, Costa Rica|Cartago]], [[Pérez Zeledón (canton)|Pérez Zeledón]], Palmares, Neily, before crossing into Panama at Paso Canoas.

The highest point in the entire Pan-American Highway occurs at the [[Cerro de la Muerte]] (Death Hill) in the Carretera Interamericana Sur segment, at {{cvt|3335|m|ft}}.

An alternative route used by cross country buses and freight transportation that avoids crossing through the [[Greater Metropolitan Area (Costa Rica)|Greater Metropolitan Area]] and Cerro de la Muerte, is by taking [[National Route 23 (Costa Rica)|Route 23]] in [[Puntarenas (canton)|Puntarenas]] canton from Route 1, then [[National Route 27 (Costa Rica)|Route 27]] and [[National Route 34 (Costa Rica)|Route 34]], and taking Route 2 in [[Osa (canton)|Osa]] canton.

After entering Costa Rica, the Highway separates two national parks, the [[Santa Rosa National Park]] to the west and [[Guanacaste National Park (Costa Rica)|Guanacaste National Park]] to the east. From the Nicaragua–Costa Rica border to the town of [[Liberia, Costa Rica|Liberia]] is about {{cvt|76.8|km|mi}}. In the region of Costa Rica, the Pan-American Highway runs just west of the [[Guanacaste Cordillera|Cordillera de Guanacaste]] (Guanacaste Mountains), which includes the active volcanoes of [[Rincón de la Vieja Volcano|Rincón de la Vieja]] and [[Miravalles Volcano|Miravalles]]. While travelling through Costa Rica, north of San Jose, the highway route is known as Costa Rica Highway 1 instead of CA Highway 1. From San Jose south to Panama, the highway route is known as Costa Rica Highway 2.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.transito.go.cr/estadorutas/index.html |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-06-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100627074624/http://www.transito.go.cr/estadorutas/index.html |archivedate=June 27, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Liberia to the town of [[Barranca, Costa Rica|Barranca]] is {{cvt|120|km|mi}} from Barranca; the [[Cordillera de Tilarán]] (Tilarán Mountains) can be seen from the Inter-American Highway. The Tilarán range includes [[Arenal Volcano|Arenal]], one of the world's most active volcanoes. From Barranca, the highway heads east across the mountains and the Continental Divide once again. From Barranca, it is roughly {{cvt|77|km|mi}} to the town of [[Alajuela]].

After Alajuela the [[Cordillera Central, Costa Rica|Cordillera Central]] (Central Mountains) come into view from the Inter-American Highway. The Central Mountains include four large volcanoes--[[Poás Volcano|Poás]], [[Barva Volcano|Barva]], [[Irazú Volcano|Irazú]] and [[Turrialba Volcano|Turrialba]]. From Alajuela to San José is about {{cvt|15|km|mi|spell=in}}.

[[San José, Costa Rica|San José]] is the capital and largest city in Costa Rica. Leaving San José, the Inter-American Highway winds its way roughly southeast. From San José to [[San Isidro de El General]] is about {{cvt|136|km|mi}}.

From San Isidro, the [[Cordillera de Talamanca]] (Talamanca Mountains) rise up from the rain forest canopy. The Talamanca range, which is non-volcanic, includes [[Cerro Chirripó]], Costa Rica's highest mountain peak at {{cvt|3820|m|ft}}. From San Isidro to [[Palmar Sur]] is roughly {{cvt|122|km|mi|-1}}, and Palmar Sur to the [[Costa Rica–Panama border]] is {{cvt|91.9|km|mi}}.

====Panama==== [[File:David (Panama) - Route Panaméricaine.JPG|thumb|Pan-American Highway at [[David, Chiriquí]]]] From the Costa Rica–Panama border to La Concepción, the highway length is approximately {{cvt|20|km|mi|-1}}, from La Concepción to [[David, Chiriquí|David]] the distance is {{cvt|25|km|mi}}. The highway enters Panama traveling generally from west to east.

David, the capital of the [[Chiriquí Province|Chiriqui Province]], is located about {{cvt|8|km|mi|0}} north of the town of [[Pedregal, Panamá District|Pedregal]] and the [[Gulf of Chiriquí]]. From David, the highway travels east about {{cvt|90|km|mi}} to [[Tolé]]. From Tolé to the town of [[Santiago, Panama|Santiago]] the distance is approximately {{cvt|80|km|mi}}. About halfway to Santiago, the Pan-American Highway crosses over the [[San Pablo River (Panama)|San Pablo river]].

From Santiago to [[Aguadulce, Panama|Aguadulce]], the Pan American Highway travels {{cvt|61|km|mi}}, where it reenters the tropical lowlands. From Aguadulce to [[Penonomé, Coclé|Penonomé]], it stretches about {{cvt|30|mi|km|order=flip}}. This section of highway crosses the [[Santa Maria River (Panama)|Santa María river]].

From Penonomé, the highway travels southeast, then northeast, then roughly north in a loop as it avoids crossing into Panama's Central Mountains. From Penonomé to [[La Chorrera, Panama|La Chorerra]] the distance is {{cvt|100|km|mi}}, while from La Chorerra, the distance is {{cvt|25|km|mi}} to [[Balboa, Panama|Balboa]] just west of [[Panama City]].

Panama City is the capital and largest city in Panama. Before entering the city, the Pan-American Highway crosses over the Panama Canal on the [[Centennial Bridge, Panama|Centennial Bridge]], From Panama City, the Highway turns northeast. From Panama City to [[Chepo, Panamá Province|Chepo]], the highest is roughly {{cvt|55|km|mi}}, from Chepo to [[Cañita, Panama|Cañita]] is another {{cvt|25|km|mi}}.

At the village of Cañita is the old terminus of the northern route of the Pan-American Highway. The highway continues another {{cvt|110|mi|km|order=flip}} past Cañita to the village of [[Yaviza]], a village near the junction of the [[Tuira River|Tuira]] and [[Chucunaque River|Chucunaque]] rivers. It is here that officially Pan-American Highway ends. Southeast of here is the virtually impenetrable [[Darién Gap]], a {{cvt|100|km|mi|adj=on}} stretch of rugged, mountainous jungle terrain. It is now being extended 6 km to [[Pinogana]], which will include a bridge over the Chucunaque River.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.metrolibre.com/economia/construccion-de-la-nueva-carretera-de-yaviza-a-pinogana-alcanza-un-16-de-avance-KN4924693 | title=Construcción de la nueva carretera de Yaviza a Pinogana alcanza un 16% de avance | access-date=October 21, 2023 | archive-date=October 31, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031112259/https://www.metrolibre.com/economia/construccion-de-la-nueva-carretera-de-yaviza-a-pinogana-alcanza-un-16-de-avance-KN4924693 | url-status=live }}</ref> The road had formerly ended at Cañita, Panama, {{convert|110|mi|km|abbr=out|order=flip}} north of its current end.

United States government funding was particularly significant to complete the high-level [[Bridge of the Americas]] over the Panama Canal, during the years when the canal was administered by the United States.

==Darién Gap== {{Main|Darién Gap}} [[File:Darien_Gap_OSM.svg|thumb|Map of the Darién Gap and the break in the Pan-American Highway between Yaviza, Panama and Turbo, Colombia]]

The Pan-American Highway is interrupted between Panama and Colombia by a {{convert|106|km|mi|adj=on}} stretch of marshland known as the Darién Gap. The highway terminates at [[Turbo, Colombia]], and [[Yaviza, Panama]]. Because of swamps, marshes, and rivers, construction would be very expensive. Although technically possible, crossing on foot is both extremely difficult and dangerous.

Efforts have been made for decades to eliminate the gap in the Pan-American Highway, but have been controversial. Planning began in 1971 with the help of United States funding,<ref>{{Cite web |last=U. S. Government Accountability Office |title=Linking the Americas: Progress and Problems of the Darien Gap Highway {{!}} U.S. GAO |url=https://www.gao.gov/products/psad-78-65 |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.gao.gov |language=en |archive-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215222634/https://www.gao.gov/products/psad-78-65 |url-status=live }}</ref> but this was halted in 1974 after concerns raised by environmentalists. Another effort to build the road began in 1992, but by 1994 a United Nations agency reported that the road, and the subsequent development, would cause extensive environmental damage. The [[Embera-Wounaan]] and [[Guna people|Guna]] have also expressed concern that the road could bring about the potential erosion of their cultures.

[[File:Abandoned car testifies failure of one of the few attempts to cross the Darien Gap by transport.jpg|alt=First Mexican by-foot crossers take a rest by the "Lost Corvair" abandoned in 1961 by a failed caravan from Chicago.|thumb|The first Mexican by-foot crossers take a rest by the "Lost Corvair", abandoned in 1961 by a caravan from Chicago.]] The Darién Gap has challenged adventurers for many years. A 1961 expedition with three [[Chevrolet Corvair]] rear-engine cars and two support trucks completed the trip south from Chicago through to the Colombian border.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghgRH9m2fOI |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/ghgRH9m2fOI |archive-date = December 12, 2021 |url-status = live |title = Daring The Darien |last = Lenny Clairmont |date = February 21, 2016 |via = YouTube }}{{cbignore}}</ref> A 1971–72 British expedition from Alaska to Argentina attempted to transit the Gap with two standard-production [[Range Rover Classic|Range Rovers]], supported by a team of [[Land Rover series|Land Rovers]]. They barely succeeded in thrashing a passage through the extreme terrain.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.range-rover-classic.com/Home/range-rover-darien-gap |title = Range Rover Darien Gap - Range Rover Classic |access-date = December 8, 2017 |archive-date = October 20, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181020165913/http://www.range-rover-classic.com/Home/range-rover-darien-gap |url-status = dead }}</ref> In 1979, a team led by Mark Smith drove standard production [[Jeep CJ|CJ7-model Jeeps]] from South to North, traversing the Gap with difficulty.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrPbBkr44PU |title = The Greatest Jeep Adventure Ever! Mark Smith & The Darien Gap - Dirt Every Day Ep. 39 |last = MotorTrend Channel |date = May 12, 2015 |via = YouTube |access-date = December 8, 2017 |archive-date = July 2, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170702064556/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrPbBkr44PU&feature=youtu.be&t=457 |url-status = live }}</ref> In 1984, Loren and Patty Upton made the first "all land" vehicle crossing of the Gap using a 1966 Jeep CJ-5 named Sand Ship Discovery. It took months of slogging, winching, chopping, and digging their way through the inhospitable jungles of the Darién Gap.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.outbackofbeyond.com/roads-end.html |title = Romantic High Adventure Expeditions |website = www.outbackofbeyond.com |access-date = February 19, 2021 |archive-date = September 29, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230929101109/https://outbackofbeyond.com/roads-end.html |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://adventureriderradio.com/adventure-rider-radio-episodes/2020/9/24/roadless-jungle-irate-kunas-and-guerrilla-encounters-darien-gap-expedition |title = Roadless Jungle, Irate Kunas and Guerrilla Encounters - Darien Gap Expedition |website = Motorcycle Podcasts Adventure Rider Radio & RAW |access-date = February 19, 2021 |archive-date = October 28, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201028103806/https://adventureriderradio.com/adventure-rider-radio-episodes/2020/9/24/roadless-jungle-irate-kunas-and-guerrilla-encounters-darien-gap-expedition |url-status = live }}</ref>

One proposed option to bridge the gap is a short ferry link from Colombia to a new ferry port in Panama,<ref>{{cite web |title = The Coming Era of Mega Systems, Part 1 – Transportation |url = http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2014/12/the-coming-era-of-mega-systems-part-1-transportation/ |website = DaVinci Institute – Futurist Speaker |access-date = February 10, 2017 |date = December 16, 2014 |archive-date = April 4, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230404021820/https://futuristspeaker.com/business-trends/the-coming-era-of-mega-systems-part-1-transportation/ |url-status = live }}</ref> with an extension of the existing Panama highway that would complete the highway without violating these environmental concerns. However, past attempts to operate such a service have ended in failure.

==Southern section== [[Image:Chile Via Panam.svg|thumb|A '''Vía PanAm''' shield sign is sometimes found on routes in South American countries (such as Chile) associated with the Pan-American Highway.]] [[Image:IndigenaFusa.JPG|thumb|upright=1.0|Sculpture of a native man standing at the entrance of [[Fusagasugá]], Colombia, over the Highway 40.]] ===Colombia and Venezuela=== The southern part of the highway begins in [[Turbo, Colombia]], from where it follows Colombia Highway 62 to [[Medellín]]. On [[Google Maps]], the beginning of the highway is at a marker at the end of a road built out to a place along the proposed extended highway in the flatlands 11 miles from the [[Atrato River]] and 20 miles from the main highway called "El Cuarenta" or "Lomas Aisladas" ("Isolated hills"), which has a marker "Inicio del tramo sur de la carretera Panamericana" ("Start of the southern section of the Pan-American Highway"). At Medellín, Colombia Highway 56 leads to Bogotá, but Colombia Highway 25 turns south for a more direct route. Colombia Highway 40 is routed southwest from Bogotá to join Highway 25 at [[Zarzal]]. Highway 25 continues all the way to the border with Ecuador.<ref>{{google maps |title = Membrillo, Darién Province |url = https://www.google.com/maps/search/canaan+membrillo/@7.6498288,-76.9660504,15z?entry=ttu |access-date=11 August 2024 }}</ref>

Travelers along the [[Inter-American Highway]] portion of the Pan-American Highway in Panama can take a ferry from [[Panama City]] to the port of [[Buenaventura, Colombia|Buenaventura]], which is 115 km northwest of [[Cali]]. Cali represents a major junction between Buenaventura and two northern spurs of the Pan-American Highway that connect from northern Colombia and Venezuela.

The main route of the Pan-American Highway in Colombia (starting from the northeast) begins just east of [[Cúcuta]], the capital city of the department of [[Norte de Santander]]. The highway follows [[Colombia Route 55]] for 63 km from Cúcuta to Pamplona, where it shifts to [[Colombia Route 66]] for 45 km to reach the border with the department of [[Santander Department|Santander]].

From the department border, Route 66 continues southwest for 50 km toward [[Bucaramanga]], state capital of [[Santander Department|Santander]] located on a plateau in the [[Cordillera Oriental, Colombia|Cordillera Oriental]]. From Bucaramanga, the Pan-American Highway switches from Route 66 to [[Colombia Route 45A]], which it follows south by southwest to the town of Barbosa. This 203-km stretch on Route 45A is a toll road. Approximately 26 km of this stretch of highway enters the department of [[Boyacá Department|Boyacá]] and reenters Santander between Vado Real and Guepsa. From Barbosa, the Pan-American Highways switches from Route 45A to [[Colombia Route 62]] and immediately reenters Boyacá towards Tunja, the state capital of Boyacá.

A 53-km stretch of highway connects Barbosa with [[Tunja]], an important agriculture and mining center in the region. The Pan-American Highway switches routes again in Tunja, returning to [[Colombia Route 55]] on its way to [[Cundinamarca Department|Cundinamarca]] and the national capital, Bogotá. The stretch of highway from Tunja to the departmental border with Cundinamarca is 54 km and is a toll road. From the Cundinamarca departmental line, the highway continues another 26 km without tolls before becoming a toll road again. From that point, the highway reaches Bogotá in 52 km.

In Bogotá, the highway crosses from the north to the southwest portion of the city, switching from Route 55 to [[Colombia Route 40]]. Continuing as a toll road from Bogotá, it travels for 128 km through [[Fusagasugá]] to the departmental border with [[Tolima Department|Tolima]].

From the Tolima departmental border, the highway continues as a toll road for another 16 km to [[El Espinal (Tolima)|El Espinal]]. It travels west and after another 37 km, reaches the city of [[Ibagué]]. From Ibagué to the [[Quindío Department|Quindío]] departmental border near La Linea is about 77 km.

Upon crossing into Quindío, [[Colombia Route 40]] continues westward for another four km before reaching [[Calarcá]], where Route 40 splits into two spurs. One enters [[Armenia, Colombia|Armenia]]. The spurs rejoin about 18 km southwest of Calarcá at the town of Club Campestre. From Club Campestre, it covers another 16 km until reaching the [[Valle del Cauca]] departmental border.

From the border, the Pan-American Highway travels 26 km to the town of La Paila, where it crosses [[Colombia Route 25]]. At this junction, the two routes merge and become a toll road for 61 km from that point to Buga. At Buga, Route 40 splits west toward the city of Buenaventura and the Pacific Ocean; the Pan-American Highway continues south on Route 25 for another 42 km until arriving near Palmira. From Palmira, the highway continues southwest for 23 km, where it reaches the large city of [[Cali]]. From Cali to the [[Cauca Department|Cauca]] departmental border is 19 km.

The highway continues south along Route 25 throughout its length in the department of Cauca. After 50 km, the highway becomes a toll road at Santander de Quilichao until reaching Santander de Quilichao and [[Popayán]] after 74 km. It continues generally southwest from Popayán; reaching Mojarras after 135 km. At Mojarras, Route 25 splits into two spurs; the western spur is preferred for traveling south toward the [[Nariño]] departmental border. From Mojarras to the departmental border near Remolino is 36 km.

From the Nariño departmental border, the highway continues south as Route 25. From the border to the city of [[Pasto (Colombia)|Pasto]] is 84 km. From Pasto to the national border between Colombia and Ecuador near Ipiales is 82 km. The Pan-American crosses the border at the [[Rumichaca Bridge]].

==== Simón Bolívar Highway ==== Another route, known as the Simón Bolívar Highway, runs from Bogotá (Colombia) to La Guaira (Venezuela). It begins by using Colombia Highways 55 & 66 all the way to the border with Venezuela. From there it uses Venezuela Highway 1 to Caracas and Venezuela Highway 9 to its end at La Guaira.

The road ends at [[Venezuela Highway 9]] in [[Güiria, Venezuela|Güiria]], a small town in the state of [[Sucre (state)|Sucre]] just west of [[Trinidad and Tobago|Trinidad]] along the Gulf of Paria coastline. From Güiria, the highway winds west {{cvt|76|km|mi|0}} towards the town of [[Yaguaraparo, Venezuela|Yaguaraparo]].

Once the highway reaches Yaguaraparo, on the southern portion of the [[Paria Peninsula]] along the [[Gulf of Paria]], Highway 9 continues west for approximately {{cvt|83|km|mi|0}} to the towns of [[Casanay, Venezuela|Casanay]] and [[Pantoño, Venezuela|Pantoño]].

Upon reaching Casanay, the highway crosses [[Venezuela Highway 10]], a major north–south highway. From Casanay and neighboring Pantoño, it continues west, paralleling the [[Cariaco Basin|Gulf of Cariaco]]. The highway crosses Secondary Highway 2 at [[Villa Frontado, Venezuela|Villa Frontado]], which travels south into the state of [[Monagas]]. The distance from Casanay to [[Cumaná, Venezuela|Cumaná]] is about {{cvt|90|km|mi|0}}. From Cumaná, the road travels southwest approximately 65 km to the border with the state of [[Anzoátegui]].

After crossing into Anzoátegui, it almost immediately enters the city of [[Barcelona, Venezuela|Barcelona]]. Travelling from Barcelona and nearby [[Puerto La Cruz]], the highway continues westward. For about 47 km, it becomes a limited-access [[Limited-access road|expressway]], returning to a two-lane highway at [[Puerto Píritu, Venezuela|Puerto Píritu]]. The highway travels another 62 km reaches the border with the state of [[Miranda (state)|Miranda]] at the town of [[Boca de Uchire]]. This portion includes a short run through the ''[[llanos]]'', or Venezuelan savannas.

About 34 km west of Boca de Uchire, the highway starts climbing up the [[Cordillera Central (Colombia)|Cordillera Central]], in the [[Andes Mountains]]. Highway 9 begins here to move further away from the Caribbean Sea coastline. From Boca de Uchire to El Guapo, the distance is 65 km; from El Guapo to [[Caucagua, Venezuela|Caucagua]] adds 59 km.

At Caucagua, the Pan-American Highway crosses [[Venezuela Highway 12]]. Highway 9 continues through the Cordillera Central. After about 21 km, the highway becomes a limited-access expressway for 32 km west towards the Caracas metropolitan area and the [[Venezuelan Federal District]].

[[Maracay]] is the capital city of Aragua state in central Venezuela. It was officially established on March 5, 1701, by [[Bishop Diego de Baños y Sotomayor]] in the valleys of Tocopio and Tapatapa (what is known today as the central valley of Aragua) in northern Venezuela. From Maracay, the highway extends about 44 km to Valencia, passing San Joaquin and near Cuacara en route to the city.

[[Valencia, Carabobo|Valencia]] is the capital city of Carabobo state. In Valencia, the highway shifts northwest and passes through mountains that are part of the [[Sistema Coriano]]. The distance between Valencia and the small town of [[El Palito, Carabobo|El Palito]] on the Caribbean Sea is approximately 40 km. At El Palito, the road joins with [[Venezuela Highway 3]] for 10 km, then splits off at Morón. The distance from Morón to the state border with [[Yaracuy State|Yaracuy state]] and the village of Guaremal is about 20 km.

From Guaremal to [[San Felipe, Venezuela|San Felipe]], the major city in Yaracuy, is about 26 km. The city itself is located on a route adjacent to Highway 1. The road runs 73 km from San Felipe to the state border with [[Lara State|Lara]] (located just past the town of Cambural). The distance from the border to [[Barquisimeto]] is about 16 km.

From Barquisimeto, Highway 1 continues roughly west, then southwest (at around Agua Salada) for 147 km to the state line with Trujillo, near El Empedrado.

Once in the state of [[Trujillo State|Trujillo]] (near the town of Parajá), the Pan-American Highway continues in a southwest direction; it does not travel through the state capital city of [[Trujillo, Trujillo|Trujillo]] but connects to Trujillo by way of state highways 3 and 1. The highway's length in this state is about 111 km.

The highway enters [[Mérida State|Mérida state]] near Arapuey. As in Trujillo, the highway does not travel through the major population centers, of which the largest is [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]]. Highway 1 connects to Mérida via an 88-km stretch of Mérida state highway 4. The highway covers 104 km in Mérida.

Upon entering the state of [[Táchira State|Táchira]], the high extends about 58 km from the border to the junction with [[Venezuela Highway 6]]. From the junction to the city of [[San Cristóbal, Táchira|San Cristóbal]] the distance is 44 km, although there is a separate expressway that parallels the Pan-American Highway along this stretch. From San Cristóbal to the Venezuela-Colombia border, near San Antonio de Táchira, the distance is 32 km.

===Peru, Ecuador, and Chile=== [[File:TRUE EQUATORIAL MONUMENT ON THE PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY; CAYAMBE, ECUADOR.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Monument on the Equator on the highway near [[Cayambe, Ecuador]].]] [[Ecuador Highway 35]] runs the whole length of the country. [[Ecuador Highway 35]], the "Troncal de la Sierra" (Highland's Road), is commonly known to Ecuadorians as "La Panamericana" and forms Ecuador's contribution to the project. It connects cities and towns from the Sierra region, from Tulcán at the north (border with Colombia), passing through Quito, the country's capital, to the southern border with Peru. Part of this highway is a toll-road administered by Panavial, a private concessionary. The road condition is quite good, but it mostly goes through mountains and it has some bad trails around the province of Cañar (center of the country), making it a fairly dangerous road to drive on.

The Ecuadorian portion begins at the Colombian border in [[Carchi Province|Carchi province]] and almost immediately enters the city of [[Tulcán]], the capital of Carchi province. From Tulcán, the road continues south for 125 km, reaching [[Ibarra, Ecuador|Ibarra]]. From Ibarra, the highway continues south for 115 km until reaching Quito. From Quito, the highway continues south for 89 km next reaching [[Latacunga]].

From Latacunga, the Pan-American Highway continues south for 47 km to [[Ambato (canton seat)|Ambato]]. From Ambato, the road continues south for 52 km to [[Riobamba]]. [[Azogues]] is the capital of [[Cañar Province]]. From Azogues the road becomes six lanes wide (three north, three south) built in 1995, until it reaches [[Cuenca, Ecuador|Cuenca]].

From north of the city the Pan-American Highway takes the name of Avenida Circunvalación Sur (Avenue South Ring) until exiting to the south, where it shrinks to two lanes (one north, one south) enlarged in 2009 until reaching [[Loja, Ecuador|Loja]].

[[Peru Highway 1]] carries the Pan-American Highway all the way through Peru to the border with Chile. The northern terminus of the highway is located in [[Aguas Verdes]] ([[Tumbes Region]]) at the border with Ecuador. Starting in this point, the highway is known as ''Carretera Panamericana Norte'' ("North Pan-American Highway") until it reaches a point located in central Lima, the country's capital.

From this point south the highway is called ''Carretera Panamericana Sur'' ("South Pan-American Highway"), until it reaches the southern border, located in the Santa Rosa Border Post (36 km south of [[Tacna]], the highway's closest major city), in the [[Tacna Region]] at the border with Chile.

From Lima to [[San Vicente de Cañete|Cañete]] 148 km.

In Chile, the highway follows [[Chile Route 5]] south to ([[Llaillay]]), a point north of Santiago, where the highway splits into two parts, one of which goes through Chilean territory to [[Puerto Montt]], where it splits again, to [[Quellón]] on [[Chiloé Island]], and to its continuation as the ''[[Carretera Austral]]''. The other part goes east along [[Chile Route 60]], which goes through the Andes to the Christ the Redeemer Tunnel, inside the [[Paso Internacional Los Libertadores|Los Libertadores Pass]]. The Chilean-Argentinian border is located in the middle of the tunnel.<ref>Source: ''Atlas Caminero de Chile''</ref>

In Argentina, the [[National Route 7 (Argentina)|Argentina National Route 7]] starts in the Christ the Redeemer tunnel, and continues to Buenos Aires, the end of the main highway.<ref>{{cite web |title = Pan-American Highway – MSN Encarta |url = http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761568725/Pan-American_Highway.html |access-date = September 19, 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080513085631/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761568725/Pan-American_Highway.html |archive-date = May 13, 2008 }}</ref> The highway network also continues south of Buenos Aires along [[National Route 3 (Argentina)|Argentina National Route 3]] towards the city of [[Ushuaia]] in [[Tierra del Fuego]]. Another branch, from Buenos Aires to [[Asunción]] in Paraguay, heads out of Buenos Aires on [[National Route 9 (Argentina)|Argentina National Route 9]]. It switches to Argentina National Route 11 at [[Rosario]], which crosses the border with Paraguay right at Asunción. Other branches probably exist across the center of South America.

===Brazil and Uruguay=== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}} A continuation of the Pan-American Highway to the Brazilian cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro uses a ferry from Buenos Aires to [[Colonia, Uruguay|Colonia]] in Uruguay and Uruguay Highway 1 to Montevideo. Uruguay Highway 9 and Brazil Highway 471 route to near [[Pelotas, Brazil|Pelotas]], from where [[BR-116|Brazil Highway 116]] leads to Brazilian main cities.

===Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana=== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}} The highway does not have official segments to [[Belize]], [[Guyana]], [[Suriname]] (there known in {{langx|nl|Pan-Amerikaanse weg}}), and [[French Guiana]], nor to any of the island nations in the Americas. However, highways from Venezuela link to Brazilian [[Trans-Amazonian highway]] that provides a southwest entrance to Guyana, route to the coast, and follow a coastal route through Suriname to French Guiana.

==West Indies section== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2024}} Plans have been discussed for including the [[West Indies]] in the Pan American Highway system. According to these, a system of ferries would be established to connect terminal points of the highway. Travelers would then be able to ferry from Key West to Havana, drive to the eastern tip of Cuba, ferry to Haiti, drive through Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and ferry again to Puerto Rico. Included in this system would also be a ferry from the western tip of Cuba to the Yucatán Peninsula. Mexico has already surveyed a route which will run across the Yucatán, Campeche, and Chiapas to San Cristobal de Las Casas, on the Pan American Highway. ("The Pan American Highway System" by Travel Division Pan American Union, Washington D.C. October 1947)

==Art and culture==

Travel writer [[Tim Cahill (writer)|Tim Cahill]] wrote a book, ''Road Fever'', about his record-setting 24-day drive from [[Ushuaia]] in the Argentine province of [[Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica, and South Atlantic Islands Province|Tierra del Fuego]] to [[Prudhoe Bay]] in the U.S. state of Alaska with professional long-distance driver Garry Sowerby, much of their route following the Pan-American Highway.<ref>{{cite book |last = Cahill |first = Tim |author-link = Tim Cahill (writer) |title = Road Fever |publisher = Vintage |isbn = 978-0-394-75837-4 |year = 1992 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/roadfeverhighspe00cahi_0 }}</ref>

In the British motoring show ''[[Top Gear (2002 TV series)|Top Gear]]'', the presenters drove on a section of the road in their off-road vehicles in the Bolivian Special.

==Sports==

In 2003, [[Kevin Sanders (motorcyclist)|Kevin Sanders]], a [[long-distance riding|long-distance rider]], broke the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for the fastest traversal of the highway by motorcycle in 34 days.<ref name=Independent2005>{{Cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/student/gap-year/how-to-have-a-real-adventure-315689.html |archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/student/gap-year/how-to-have-a-real-adventure-315689.html |archive-date = May 24, 2022 |url-access = subscription |url-status = live |newspaper = [[The Independent]] |location = London |date = September 29, 2005 |first = Tim |last = Walker |access-date = August 3, 2010 |title = How to have a real adventure: Take a train or get on a bike to experience the thrill of travel as it used to be }}</ref>

In 2018, British cyclist Dean Stott, who had planned on riding the length of the Americas in 110 days to set a new Guinness World Record, completed the {{convert|14,000|mile|adj=on|-2}} journey in just under 100 days, riding south-to-north, breaking the record, set by Mexico's Carlos Santamaría Covarrubias in 2015, by 17 days.<ref>{{Cite web |date = June 5, 2018 |title = Special Forces soldier breaks record for cycling the Pan-American Highway |url = https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2018/6/special-forces-solider-breaks-record-for-cycling-the-pan-american-highway-528445/ |access-date = November 19, 2020 |website = Guinness World Records |language = en-GB |archive-date = April 14, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210414173213/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2018/6/special-forces-solider-breaks-record-for-cycling-the-pan-american-highway-528445/ |url-status = live }}</ref> Stott was inspired to push the timetable after learning that he and his wife had been invited to the [[wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle]], and would have missed the event had he stuck to his original schedule.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://road.cc/content/news/241762-british-cyclist-smashes-pan-american-highway-record-after-learning-royal-wedding |title = British cyclist smashes Pan American Highway record after learning of royal wedding invitation |date = May 14, 2018 |work = road.cc |access-date = October 2, 2018 |language = en |archive-date = October 2, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181002181014/https://road.cc/content/news/241762-british-cyclist-smashes-pan-american-highway-record-after-learning-royal-wedding |url-status = live }}</ref> Stott's record lasted just a couple of months, as Austrian endurance cyclist Michael Strasser, riding north-to-south, broke the record with a time of 84 days, 11 hours and 50 minutes (July 23 – October 16, 2018).<ref>{{Cite web |title = Fastest cycle journey of the Pan-American Highway |url = https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-cycle-journey-of-the-pan-american-highway/ |access-date = November 19, 2020 |website = Guinness World Records |language = en-GB |archive-date = November 13, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201113213054/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-cycle-journey-of-the-pan-american-highway |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last = Eberle-Abasolo |first = Christian |date = February 25, 2019 |title = The Austrian endurance rider set a new world record in 2018 when he cycled 22,642km from Alaska to Patagonia in 84 days. Here are all the need-to-know facts, figures and quotes from his big journey. |url = https://www.redbull.com/za-en/theredbulletin/michael-strasser-ice2ice-pan-american-highway-ride-stats |access-date = November 19, 2020 |website = www.redbull.com |archive-date = February 5, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210205232350/https://www.redbull.com/za-en/theredbulletin/michael-strasser-ice2ice-pan-american-highway-ride-stats |url-status = live }}</ref>

In 2024, American endurance cyclist Bond Almand IV broke Strasser's record, riding north-to-south in 75 days, 17 hours, and 55 minutes (August 31 – November 15, 2024).<ref>{{Cite web |title = Pan-American Finish: Ushuaia, Argentina |url = https://www.strava.com/activities/12905123719 |access-date = November 15, 2024 |website = Strava |date = November 14, 2024 |language = en-GB }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title = Bond Almand bicycle trip progress |url = https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1NlvNiUmH6gaOtaTyvGhVm5S1RE-SYvw&ll=49.76527779227845%2C-118.83255039999996&z=3 |access-date = November 15, 2024 |website = Google Maps |language = en-GB |archive-date = November 25, 2025 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20251125232623/https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1NlvNiUmH6gaOtaTyvGhVm5S1RE-SYvw&ll=49.76527779227845,-118.83255039999996&z=3 |url-status = live }}</ref>

Between 23 August and 19 December 2025, [[Canadians|Canadian]] Ashleigh Myles, of [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], was the first woman to bike the entire Pan-American highway. It took her 118 days.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nova Scotian becomes first woman to bike entire Pan-American highway |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GxdAGJQq2U |access-date=29 January 2026 |publisher=CBC Nova Scotia |archive-date=February 25, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260225184224/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GxdAGJQq2U |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ashleigh Myles – Pan American Hwy – N-S Attempt Aug 23 – Dec 19, 2025 |url=https://ultracycling.com/ashleigh-myles-pan-american-hwy-n-s-attempt-aug-23-dec-19-2025/ |publisher=World Ultra Cycling Association |access-date=29 January 2026 |archive-date=January 16, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116145631/https://ultracycling.com/ashleigh-myles-pan-american-hwy-n-s-attempt-aug-23-dec-19-2025/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Photo gallery== <gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" ;="" mode="center"> File:Deadhorse Sign.JPG|The northern end of the Pan-American Highway at [[Deadhorse, Alaska]], USA File:I-25 southbound at Big I.jpg|Interstate 25 (Pan-American Freeway) approaching the [[Big I]] interchange in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], USA File:Carretera Panamericana El Salvador San Martin.jpg|Pan-American Highway through San Martin, El Salvador. File:Carretera Panamericana El Salvador Feb 2011.jpg|Another view of the Pan-American Highway in El Salvador. File:Panamericana El Salvador Pista.png|Pan-American Highway in El Salvador between Lourdes and Santa Ana; this flat {{cvt|1.5|km|mi|0}} long straight section can be used as an airstrip and it was used during [[El Salvador Civil War]]. File:Carretera Panamericana en Gunacaste Costa Rica.jpg|Pan-American Highway in Guanacaste, Costa Rica (heading to the Nicaraguan border) File:Costa Rica Panamerican Highway.png|Pan-American Highway in Tres Rios, Costa Rica, right before the toll plaza (about {{cvt|350|km|mi|disp=or}} to go until the Panamanian border). File:Panamerican highway at Costa Rica Panama border.jpg|Pan-American Highway, at the border of Costa Rica and Panama File:Carretera Panamericana Ecuador.jpg|Panamericana – Pan American Highway – in Pichincha, Ecuador, near Cashapamba File:Panamericana Peru Pacasmayo.JPG|Panamericana – Pan American Highway – northern Peru near Pacasmayo File:PanAmericanHighwayPeru.jpg|Panamericana – Pan American Highway – near Puerto De Lomas, Peru File:Panamericana Atacama Peru.JPG|Panamericana – Pan American Highway – in the [[Atacama Desert]] northern Chile File:Suburban 1986.jpg|[[Chevrolet Suburban|Chevy Suburban]] traveled all of the Pan-American Highway. Patagonia, Chile. File:Panamericana - Cordillera de los Andes Ecuador.JPG|Panamericana – Pan American Highway – in the Cordillera de los Andes, southern Ecuador, near to Catacocha, {{cvt|2500|m|ft|-1}} elevation File:JUNIN Ruta 7 001.jpg|[[National Route 7 (Argentina)|National Route 7]]—Pan-American Highway in [[Junín, Buenos Aires]], Argentina </gallery>

==See also== * [[Transport in North America]] * [[Transport in South America]] * [[CANAMEX Corridor]] * [[Continental 1]] * [[NAFTA superhighway]] * Other intercontinental highway systems: ** [[Arab Mashreq International Road Network]] ** [[Asian Highway Network]] ** [[International E-road network]] ** [[Trans-African Highway network]] * [[Trans-Siberian Highway]]

== Notes == {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} == References == {{Reflist}}

== General sources == {{refbegin}} * {{cite news |title = Plan Federal Highway System |work = [[The New York Times]] |date = May 15, 1932 |at = Section XX p. 7}} * {{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1936/01/26/archives/reported-from-the-motor-world-general-motors-shows-announced-36.html |title = Reported from the Motor World |url-access = subscription |work = The New York Times |date = January 26, 1936 |at = Section XX, p. 6 |archive-date = July 9, 2021 |access-date = June 30, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210709191011/https://www.nytimes.com/1936/01/26/archives/reported-from-the-motor-world-general-motors-shows-announced-36.html |url-status = live }} * {{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1953/01/07/archives/hemisphere-road-is-nearer-reality-pan-american-highway-grows-with.html |title = Hemisphere Road Is Nearer Reality |url-access = subscription |work = The New York Times |date = January 7, 1953 |page = 58 |archive-date = July 9, 2021 |access-date = June 30, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210709200657/https://www.nytimes.com/1953/01/07/archives/hemisphere-road-is-nearer-reality-pan-american-highway-grows-with.html |url-status = live }} * 1997–98 [[American Automobile Association|AAA]] Caribbean, Central America and South America map * {{cite magazine |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=WNYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28 |title = Longest Road in the World |magazine = [[Popular Mechanics]] |date = March 1943 }} {{refend}} *Rand McNally Road Atlas, 1998 edition, p. 120, {{ISBN|0-528-83918-7}} *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060906215308/http://www.mesoamericaonline.net/map.htm Institute for Central American Studies – Costa Rica map]}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20040113011257/http://patepluma.virtualave.net/patemaps.htm Maps for DXers by Don Moore]

==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last = Gonzalez |first = Robert Alexander |year = 2011 |title = Designing Pan-America: U.S. Architectural Visions for the Western Hemisphere |publisher = University of Texas Press |isbn = 9781477326671 }} * {{cite book |last = Rutkow |first = Eric |year = 2019 |title = The Longest Line on the Map: The United States, the Pan-American Highway, and the Quest to Link the Americas |publisher = Scribner |isbn = 9781501103926 }} {{refend}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Pan-American Highway}} {{Wikivoyage}} * {{osmrelation-inline|240861}}

[[Category:Pan-American Highway| ]]