Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest and northernmost of the Great Lakes, situated on the border between the United States and Canada.
- Surface Area: Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, covering 31,700 square miles. It is 350 miles long and 160 miles wide and contains more water than the other four combined.
- Volume: It’s the deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes and have a maximum depth of 1,332 feet.
- Location: Straddling the Canada–United States border, Lake Superior is located in central North America. To the north and east is the Canadian province of Ontario and the Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin states of U.S are to the south.
- Water: Lake Superior volume is second only to Russia’s Lake Baikal and contains nearly 10% of the world’s surface freshwater.
- Drainage: Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron via the St. Marys River. From there, the water flows through the lower Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence River and finally to the Atlantic Ocean.
- Lake Superior is fed by more than 300 rivers and streams, including the St. Louis River in Minnesota and the Nipigon River in Ontario, Canada. Drainage basin of the lake is 49,300 square miles, and its shoreline is almost 2,800 miles long.
Five Great Lakes of North America
The five Great Lakes of North America are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. The Great Lakes are a chain of deep freshwater lakes that cover 94,250 square miles and contain 21% of the world’s surface freshwater. Lake Superior, the largest and northernmost, is shared by the United States and Canada.
Lake Michigan is the only one entirely within the U.S., while Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario straddle the U.S.-Canada border. These lakes form a vital freshwater ecosystem with economic and ecological significance.
In this article, we will explore five great lakes of North America, along with their surface area, volume, and location.
Table of Content
- What are the Five Great Lakes of North America?
- Five Great Lakes of North America on Map
- List of Five Great Lakes of North America
- Lake Superior
- Lake Michigan
- Lake Huron
- Lake Erie
- Lake Ontario