Lake Michigan: Absolute & Relative Location

Lake Michigan — the only Great Lake entirely within the United States.

Absolute Location (Geographic Center)

• Latitude: 44.07° N
• Longitude: 87.64° W
• Coordinates (DMS): 44°04′N, 87°38′W

Relative Location

• Region: Great Lakes, Upper Midwest, USA
• Borders: Michigan (E, N), Wisconsin (W), Illinois (SW), Indiana (S)
• Connections:
  • North: Straits of Mackinac → Lake Huron (hydrologically one lake)
  • South: Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal → Chicago River → Des Plaines → Illinois → Mississippi (engineered reversal)
• Major Cities on Shore: Chicago (IL), Milwaukee (WI), Green Bay (WI), Gary (IN), Muskegon (MI), Traverse City (MI)
• Nearby Features: Lake Superior (N), Lake Huron (NE), Lake Erie (S via Lake Huron/Erie corridor), Door Peninsula (WI), Sleeping Bear Dunes (MI)

Key Metrics

• Surface Area: 58,030 km² (22,404 sq mi) — 2nd largest Great Lake, 5th largest lake globally
• Volume: 4,918 km³ (1,180 cu mi)
• Max Depth: 281 m (923 ft)
• Shoreline: 2,640 km (1,640 mi) including islands
• Elevation: 176 m (577 ft) above sea level

Correction on Prior Data

The original text mentioned "Straits of Mackinaw" connecting to Lake Huron — this is a duplication. The Straits of Mackinac (single strait) connects Michigan and Huron. "Mackinaw" is a variant spelling (Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island) but the strait is "Mackinac."