The Panamerican Highway is a system of highways extending from Alaska through South America. It extends all the way from Fairbanks, Alaska to the southern tip of South America. The monumental plan began in 1925 with the first Panamerican Highway Congress at Buenos Aires, Argentina. The United States has cooperated with Latin American countries in planning and building the international highway system so that now only a 160 km (about 100 mi) stretch between Panama and Columbia remains unfinished. In the early 1980's a land link was attempted, but construction is currently suspended. Nicaragua's section of the highway is in poor repair, but it is in the process of being improved.