巴拿為運河區為南、北美洲空運必經之地；又因境內之巴拿為運河為重要的國際水道之一，復使該區域為太平洋與大西洋海運之樞紐。故其形勢之，重要自不待言。
然而，自美國取得該區，建造巴拿馬運河，以迄於今，巴拿馬共和國與美國為該地區的地位問題，始終爭執不休，甚至演成流血慘劇。由於該地區的地位問題乃是國際法上的「特例」，拉丁美洲各國和聯合國對該問題深表關切，因而該問題深受各方矚目，頗值得研究。
本文試從國際法觀點，對「巴拿馬運河區之法律地位」加以探討。共分六章，凡十六節。
巴拿馬運河區之法律地位所以會發生問題，有其特殊之歷史背景與淵源。第一章即試圖從巴拿馬共和國之地理環境、建國經過，以及運河區之設置等方面，尋求瞭解。第二章則試就運河區對美、巴兩國的重要性，說明兩國何以不願徹底放棄該運河區。第三章乃從一九○四年到五五年間美、巴兩國對該運河區的問題所發生的爭執，做一番敘述。第四章則是敘述一九五六年到七四年間，兩國為該地區所發生的紛爭。第五章乃就兩國對該地區已達成和仍未解決的爭議，予以分析，並兼敘兩國法院對該問題所做之判例及若干國際法學家的看法。第六章「結論」乃是對本文作一總結，並提出個人的建議。

一、中文部份：
(一)書籍
1.王建勛著 認識中南美洲，台北市：台灣商務印書館股份有限公司，民國六十一年十二月初版。
2.丘宏達著 現代國際法（下），台北市：三民書局有限公司，民國六十一年五月初版。
3.朱建民編著 國際組織，台北市：正中書局，民國五十一年二月臺初版。
4.杜光塤編著 現代國際關係與國際組織，台北市：正中書局，民國五十年九月臺三版。5.沈 默編著 地緣政治，台北市：自行刊印，民國五十六年十月初版。
6.張彝鼎、俞士英合著 國軍軍事學校國際公法教材，台北市：國防部印行，民國六十年。
7.雷崧生著 國際法原理，上冊。台北市：正中書局，民國六十年十一月臺九版。
(二)期刊和報紙
1.王建勛 「巴拿馬運河與美巴關係」，問題與研究，第十二卷第三期，民國六十一年十二月十日。
2.中央日報 民國六十四年十一月十八日。
二、英文部份：
I. General Works:
1. Baxter, Richard R., & Doris Carroll. The Panama Canal, Background Papers and Proceedings of the Sixth Hammarskjold Forum. Dobbs Ferry, N. Y.: Oceana Publications, Inc., 1965.
2. Bemis, Samuel Flagg. A Diplomatic History of the United States. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965.
3. __________, (ed.). The American Secretaries of State and Their Diplomacy. Vol. IX, New York: Cooper Square Publisher, Inc., 1963.
4. Busey, James L. Political Aspects of the Panama Canal: The Problem of Location. Tucson, Arizona: The University of Arizona Press, 1974.
5. Chang, Yi-ting. The Interpretation of Treaties by Judicial Tribunals. New York: Columbia University Press, 1933.
6. Chayes, Abram, Thomas Ehrlich, and Andreas F. Lowenfeld. International Legal Process, Materials for an Introductory Course. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1968.
7. Connell-Smith, Cordon. The United States and Latin America: An Historical Analysis of Inter-American Relations. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1974.
8. DeConde, Alexander. A History of American Foreign Policy, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1971.
9. Ealy, Lawrence O, Yanqui Politics and the Isthmian Canal. New Jersey: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1971.
10. __________. The Republic of Panama in World Affairs 1903-1950.
11. Eden, Sir Anthony, Full Circle: Memoirs. Cambridge, Mass., 1960.
12. Fenwick, Charles G. International Law, New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1965.
13. Fenwick, Charles G. The Organization of American States, The Inter- American Regional System. Washington, D. C.: Kaufman Printing, Inc., 1963.
14. Liss, Sheldon B. The Canal: Aspects of United States Panamanian Relations. Notre Dame London: University of Notre Dame Press, 1967.
15. Mack, Gerstle. The Land Divided: A History of the Panama Canal and Other Isthmian Canal Projects. New York: Octagon Books, 1974.
16. McCain, William D. The United States and the Republic of Panama. New York: Russell & Russell, 1965.
17. Miner, Dwight Carroll. The Fight for the Panama Route. New York: Octagon Books, 1971.
18. Moon, Parker Thomas. Imperialism and World Politics. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1955.
19. O’Connell, D. P. International Law, Vol. I. London: Stevens & Sons Ltd., 1965.
20. Oppenheim, L. International Law, A Treatise, 8th ed. by H. Lauterpacht Vol. I. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1955.
21. Perkins, Dexter. A History of the Monroe Doctrine. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1963.
22. __________, The United States and the Caribbean. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1966.
23. Rippy, J. Fred. Globe and Hemisphere: Latin America’s Place in the Postwar Foreign Relations of the United States. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, Publisher, 1972.
24. Schleicher, Charles P. Introduction to International Relations. New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1955.
25. Speller, Jon P. The Panama Canal: Heart of America’s Security. New York: Robert Speller & Sons, Publishers, Inc., 1972.
II. Encyclopedias and Yearbook:
1. The Encyclopedia Americana. New York: Encyclopedia Americana Corporation, 1975.
2. The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.,1974.
3. Yearbook of United Nations 1964. U. N. Office of Public Information.
III. Documents:
1. Bevans, Charles I. (ed.). Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America. Vol.6, 1971; Vol.10, 1972; Vol.12, 1974.
2. Bunker, Ellsworth. “Panama and United States: Toward A New Relationship.” U. S. Department of State, News Release, May 22, 1975.
3. __________. “The Panama Canal Negotiation: Popular Myths and Political Realities.” U. S. Department of State, News Release. December 2, 1975.
4. “Panama Canal Treaty Negotiation: Background and Current Status.” U. S. Department of State, News Release. January 1975.
5. Cases Argued and Decided in the Supreme Court of the United State. 204, 1926; 280, 1930.
6. EPICA. Panama Canal Zone: Occupied Territory. Washington D. C., 1973.
7. Flood, Daniel J. “Free and Open Waterway for another Berlin?” U. S. of America Congressional Record. the 86th Congress, 1st session, Vol.105, part 1, 1959.
8. Gantenbein, James W. The Evolution of Our Latin American Policy: A Documentary Record. New York: Octagon Books, 1971.
9. Israel, Fred L. (ed.), The State of the Union Messages of the Presidents 1790-1966. Vol. I, New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1967.
10. Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States. 86th Congress, 2nd session, 1961.
11. Lauterpacht, H. Annual Digest and Report of Public International Law Cases, 1931-1932, 1938-1940. London: Butterworth & Co. Ltd.,. 1938, 1942.
12. U. S. Department of State. Bulletin, August 11, 1952; November 23, 1959; February 4, 1963; February 3, 1964; January 4, 1965; September 4, 1967; July 17, 1967; April 23, 1973; February 25, 1974.
13. U. S. Department of State. “Panama Canal Treaty Negotiation.” Current Policy, November 1975.
14. U. S. Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States. 1914; 1918 Sup. Vol.II.; 1928, Vol. III.; 1942, Vol.VI.
15. U. S. Department of State, United States Treaties and Other International Agreements 1955. Vol.6 part 2, Washington D. C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1965.
IV. Periodical Works:
1. The Annal of the Chinese Society of International Law, No.7, August, 1970.
2. Burns, E. Bradford. “Panama’s Struggle for Independence.” Current History, January, 1974.
3. The Congressional Digest. Vol.51, No.11, 1972.
4. “In the Matter of the Arbitration of the Boundary Dispute between the Republic of Costa Rica and Panama Provided for by the Convention between Costa Rica and Panama of March 17.”. American Journal of International Law, Vol.8, 1914.
5. Langley, Lester D. “The United States and Panama: The Burden of Power.” Current History, January, 1969.
6. McDonald, Vincent P. “The Panama Canal for Panamanians: The Implications for the United States.” Military Review, Vol.LV, No.12.
7. Padelford, Norman J. “American Rights in the Panama Canal.” American Journal of International Law, Vol.34, 1940.
8. Panama Canal Company, Annual Report, Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1974. Balboa Heights, C. Z.: Canal Zone Government. 1975.
9. “Panama: Whose Canal?” Newsweek, April 2, 1973.
10. Pippin, Larry L. “The Challenge in Panama.” Current History, January, 1966.
11. Reyner, Anthomy S. “Which Route for the Isthmian Canal? ” Current History. February, 1970.
12. Rosenfeld, Stephen S. “The Panama Negotiations- A Close-Run Thing.” Foreign Affairs. Vol.54, No.1, October 1975.
13. Rosson, W. B. “U. S. Southern Command in Latin America.” Commanders Digest. October 18, 1973.
14. “U. S. on the Spot over Panama Canal.” U.S. News & World Report. March 19, 1973.
15. Welles, Summer, “The New Era in Pan American.” Foreign Affairs. Vol.15, No.3, April 1937.
16. Woolsey, L. H. “The Sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone.” American Journal of International Law, Vol.20, 1926.
V. News Papers and Collections:
1, China News, June 30, July 6, September 23, November 18, 1975.
2. China Post, July 22, 1975.
3. Japan Times, October 28, 1975.
4. Keesing’s Contemporary Archives, 1937-1940, Vol. III.; 1940-1943, Vol. IV.; 1946-1948, Vol.VI.; 1952-1954, Vol. IX.; 1955-1956, Vol. X.; 1959-1960, Vol.XII.; 1961-1962, Vol. XIII.;
1963-1964, Vol.XIV.; 1965-1966, Vol. XV.; 1973, Vol.XIX.; 1975, XXI.
5. The New York Times, January 10, 11, 15, 16 & 26; December 18, 1964.
6. South China Morning Post, June 14, October 17, 1975.