<P> The Darién Gap ( Spanish : Región del Darién or Tapón del Darién ) is a break in the Pan-American Highway consisting of a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest within Panama 's Darién Province in Central America and the northern portion of Colombia 's Chocó Department in South America . The gap begins in Yaviza , Panama and ends in Turbo , Colombia , stretching between 100 km and 160 km ( 60 -- 100 miles ) long . Roadbuilding through this area is expensive and the environmental cost is high . Political consensus in favor of road construction has not emerged . Consequently , there is no road connection through the Darién Gap connecting North America with South America and it is the missing link of the Pan-American Highway . </P>
<P> The Darién Gap ( Spanish : Región del Darién or Tapón del Darién ) is a break in the Pan-American Highway consisting of a large swath of undeveloped swampland and forest within Panama 's Darién Province in Central America and the northern portion of Colombia 's Chocó Department in South America . The gap begins in Yaviza , Panama and ends in Turbo , Colombia , stretching between 100 km and 160 km ( 60 -- 100 miles ) long . Roadbuilding through this area is expensive and the environmental cost is high . Political consensus in favor of road construction has not emerged . Consequently , there is no road connection through the Darién Gap connecting North America with South America and it is the missing link of the Pan-American Highway . </P>
gap between the north and south american road systems
gap between the north and south american road systems
Darién Gap
Darién Gap