Panama and Colombia, here, where Central and South America come together, existing is a rain forest containing one of the richest ecological regions on Earth. It's also an obstacle to the completion of the Pan-American Highway, more than 16,000 miles of continuous road from Alaska to the tip of South America. The Highway stops at Yaviza in Panama.

The only missing link is a 54-mile stretch through two national parks. The Darien National Park in Panama and the other Los Katios National Park in Colombia. These two national parks contain the Darien Gap's more than 3 million acres of unspoiled wilderness.

In 1971, to facilitate international trade, tourism and the economic integration of Panama and Colombia, the United States Congress agreed to hold $100 million dollars, for use by the Secretary of Transport to fund part of the work needed to complete the highway. The stretch to Yaviza in Panama is completed. Completed is 16,000 miles, what remains to be built is the 54 miles to Colombia.