The Great Lakes of North America (Include the Lake Name)

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The five Great Lakes of the United States and Canada is the largest group of fresh water on earth and contain 22 percent (6 quadrillion gallons) of the world’s fresh water. These inland seas are nearly as large as the United Kingdom when combined. The foundation for the Great Lakes was formed 1.1 to 1.2 billion years ago when two tectonic plates split apart and created the Midcontinent Rift, forming an immense valley. When the ice sheet receded during the last ice age, the retreat left behind a large amount of meltwater which filled up the basins that the glaciers had carved, thus creating the Great Lakes as we know them today.

The Great Lakes shoreline is an estimated 10,900 mi/17,549 km equal to almost 44 percent of the circumference of the earth. The region contains not only the five main lakes themselves, but also numerous minor lakes and rivers, as well as approximately 35,000 islands. The region is the home of ancient Native Nations and Tribes. It was, and still is, a mode of transport for goods shipped around the world as the only access to the interior of the continent via the St. Lawrence Seaway connecting Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. 162 million tons of bulk cargo was transported on the Great Lakes in 2002- iron ore, coal, stone, grain, salt, cement and potash. Over 4,262 shipwrecks or lost vessels have been documented on the Great Lakes.

There is something for everyone on the Great Lakes of North America- wild and untamed wilderness to bright big city lights. Some areas are ruggedly rural and small town, but you will also find the great cities of Chicago, Buffalo, Milwaukee and Cleveland in the U.S. and Hamilton and Toronto in Canada hugging the shores. It is home to Niagara Falls, the Erie Canal, the tallest building in North America, the world’s first IMAX Theater and the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame.

Please visit our Forums for more information on the Great Lakes- FAQs, history, trivia, photo opps, communities, tourist destinations, shipwrecks, and links.

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