Gamboa

Gamboa

Gamboa, unincorporated community, central Panama. It is situated on the Panama Canal at the southwestern end of Gatun Lake and the confluence with the Chagres River, 16 miles (26 km) northeast of Panama City.

Gamboa was established in the 1930s as the headquarters of dredging operations for the canal. It was located north of Gaillard (Culebra) Cut (a gorge blasted through the cordillera during construction of the canal) to protect the equipment from lake dumps in case of landslides. Dredging operations are still based at Gamboa, but it is now better known as a resort destination for tourists. Soberanía National Park is nearby to the north. The Panama Canal Railway (formerly Panama Railroad) connects Gamboa with Panama City and with Colón to the northwest on the Caribbean side.