Major Lakes In or Near North America: From Superior to Nicaragua
North America's Great Lakes & Beyond
North America holds 20% of the world's surface freshwater, mostly in the Great Lakes. Here are the largest and most significant lakes in or bordering the continent.
The Laurentian Great Lakes (Shared US/Canada)
| Lake | Surface Area | Max Depth | Key Feature |
|---|
| Superior | 82,100 km² (31,700 mi²) | 406 m (1,333 ft) | Largest freshwater lake by area on Earth |
| Huron | 59,600 km² (23,000 mi²) | 229 m (750 ft) | Includes Georgian Bay; longest shoreline |
| Michigan | 58,000 km² (22,400 mi²) | 281 m (923 ft) | Only Great Lake entirely in US |
| Erie | 25,700 km² (9,900 mi²) | 64 m (210 ft) | Shallowest, warmest, most productive |
| Ontario | 19,000 km² (7,340 mi²) | 244 m (802 ft) | Outlet to St. Lawrence River |
Major Canadian Shield Lakes
- Great Bear Lake (NT) – 31,328 km², 446 m deep, pristine.
- Great Slave Lake (NT) – 27,200 km², 614 m (deepest in NA), Yellowknife on shore.
- Lake Athabasca (SK/AB) – 7,850 km², uranium mining legacy.
- Lake Winnipeg (MB) – 24,514 km², algal bloom challenges.
Other Notable Lakes
- Lake Nicaragua (Cocibolca) – 8,264 km², largest in Central America; freshwater sharks.
- Lake Chapala (Mexico) – largest in Mexico, stressed by diversion.
- Great Salt Lake (UT) – terminal saline lake, shrinking dramatically.
- Crater Lake (OR) – deepest in US (594 m), volcanic caldera.
Why They Matter
- Drinking water for 40M+ people.
- Shipping (St. Lawrence Seaway), hydropower, fisheries, tourism.
- Climate regulation, biodiversity hotspots.
Wanderlust World