What are the Five Great Lakes of North America?
The Great Lakes are a chain of deep freshwater lakes located in the east-central part of North America. They are Earth’s largest fresh surface water system, with a combined area of about 94,250 square miles. The Great Lakes are the second-largest group of lakes globally by total volume, holding approximately 21% of the world’s surface fresh water by volume. They are believed to have formed about 20,000 years ago when glaciers melted and filled the Earth’s surface basins. The Great Lakes were formed by deep glacial erosion. The first inhabitants of the Great Lakes region were American Indians, who gave each lake a unique name. More than 3,500 plant and animal species are found in this freshwater ecosystem, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
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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